My Girl
by Ashishu
Summary: NatsukixShizuru, More into the future, Shizuru invites her old friend to her parents' estate and spend time with each other for oldtimes sake. Meanwhile, Natsuki determines her relationship with Shizuru. CHAP 11! Epilogues to start!
1. Starting off

Pretty short chapter but the others should be a little longer. This is just kind of a mix of romance, angst, humor and drama. Hope you like :)

Chaper 1: Starting off...

I shuddered as I felt her breathy moan caress my ear. Her body heat was slowly rising beneath me with every passing second that I ravished her with my hands and lips. Oh how I wanted this; how I wanted to hear my name pass her lips as her voice dripped with desperation, never wanting me to stop. And I gladly obliged, feeling my own body heat rise as well while she tried in her pure rapture to return the pleasurable favors I was giving her.

It was completely dark, everything around us. Not even the moonlight which shined upon this ancient Japanese house and through the sliding doors could outline our bare bodies, covered only by a thin linen sheet. It was difficult to see her and I knew she was in the same situation, but we recognized each other easily. Though I've never heard her soft moans, intimate gasps and sighs before, I could distinguish her voice as I always loved the feelings it gave me even if it would simply be in her normal tone. I also recognized the feel of her hair; the softest I've ever felt and the most intoxicating of scents, so easily admirable with its shining strands. And her face, her beautiful, flawless face which I had just showered with kisses, almost as if drawing a mental map of its detail, was the same one that I had always adored and had often found myself staring longingly at.

The sensations this girl brought upon me, even just by holding me so tightly with need against her overheating body as I continued to rock against her at a gradually increasing pace, made my mind spin and my heart flutter with undying love. I almost didn't want either of us to reach the end of this moment, at least not so soon; I wanted these emotions passing through the both of us to carry on through eternity. I knew that this would never happen though, especially when I felt this beautiful girl becoming wild with desire as she seemed to feel herself coming closer to this intense bliss, and as did I.

Pressing myself even harder against her, I finally let my lips break from her own (as much as I hated to; the taste of them was so sweet that one would say that they dripped with honey). My lips fell onto her neck, placing soft kisses along its length until I found the spot that made the softest of moans escape her lips as she craned her neck back and held my head against her. Enticed by this response, I focused all my mouth's attention solely on that spot, my excitement growing as her soft moans were replaced with sharp gasps and lustful groans while she squirmed and writhed underneath me.

With a rather loud 'smack' of releasing the suction my lips had on her neck, I slowed the pace of my rocking against her so that I could lift my head back up to try and find any indication of what her face might be expressing. I could feel her warm breath against my lips as she was trying to catch it. But, apparently, her wild desire got the better of her as her breathing suddenly became fast again even though I was moving slowly and suddenly she wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me into a fiery, devouring kiss which nearly took my breath away.

This sensation grew into a searing one as she coaxed my lips apart with her own and claimed almost every other part of my mouth. Apart from deciding to return the favor, I added an extra gesture that I knew would drive her crazy; capturing and nibbling her bottom lip between both of my own while running my hands slowly up and down her sides. Her long moan rippling down my throat sent even more ripples down my spine as she flipped positions, making her be the one on top and I pinned on the bottom.

Without a breath's worth of hesitation, I felt her shower my skin with kisses, any skin she could reach. Though I felt like I could melt in this heavenly feeling of passion and soft warmth she was invoking on me, I wasn't one to lose dominance, oh no. After all, she's mine… she's mine forever… and I wouldn't trade it for anything else at all.

With that echoing in my mind, I reversed our positions on her and picked up where we had left off. Soon, we tensed more and more, our hold on each other becoming tighter and tighter, breaths becoming heavier and heaver, moans becoming louder and louder… the only thing that I missed and yearned for was her voice uttering my name, so I pled, "Please say my name…"

She seemed to be trying to respond, but her ragged breathing and constant moans made her words incoherent. I let out a moan that I couldn't suppress; I could feel myself coming closer, the feeling was overwhelming. I wanted to hear her say my name, I _needed_ to hear it.

"Say my name… Please, say it." I could hear my own voice wavering and absolutely drenched with lust. When her voice was louder yet still incoherent by the same amount of need I was feeling if not more, I was afraid I might miss her saying my name before I'd reach the point of being blinded by white light so I made my voice become more urgent as I quickened the pace of our rocking even more than before. "Please!" I cried as I began to feel my limbs weaken from the intense pleasure I was feeling.

A couple more cries of passion broke free from her throat before shrieking as her moment of pure ecstasy hit her in powerfully echoing waves, making her throw her head back while my body was being racked by waves of fire and ice. "Natsuki!"

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"Shizuru!" Natsuki abruptly rose from the covers of her futon, her hair plastered to the sides of her face and her breathing difficult to catch. After finally realizing that she was in her bedroom alone, a mad blush covered her face until the color looked easily visible even in the dark. Her hands flew to her face, trying to stop the burning blush as she yelled, "What the hell?"

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AN: This is just the start of this multi-chapter fic. The chapters may be relatively short compared to my other two fics, which I'm still writing by the way, this was just a spur-of-inspiration fic. Sorry about the first chapter having to start off with a lemon, since it's kind of a vulgar thing for me, but I just though it would be interesting since Shizuru's normally the one to have the passionate dreams ;P


	2. The Manipulator

This one I'm particularly happy with so I hope you'll enjoy it too :)

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Chapter 2: The Manipulator

'Damn those dreams!' Natsuki thought as she gripped her warm mug tightly in her hands while her eyes looked incredulous. Large dark bags were visible under her eyes from the sleepless night she received because of that dream. Since 2:00 AM she tossed and turned in her sheets, trying to get the haunting images out of her head but to no improvement.

'I've gotta find some way to get them out! They won't stop! I never **ever** thought I would do those things and especially not to Shizuru! I wonder what she'd think if she ever somehow found out… then again maybe I don't even want to think about that either…' She sweat-dropped while she remembered Shizuru's teasing side; surely she'd actually find a sort of amusement in the idea in place of anything else.

Natsuki took in a breath and let out a long exhale and rolled her neck and shoulders, trying to ease her tensing muscles. 'That's right Natsuki, just relax and perhaps those images will finally leave…' She closed her eyes for a few seconds, trying to absorb some good, peaceful feelings in her. Much to her surprise, it seemed to be working; she never really believed meditation actually helped anyone at all, but she guessed she proved herself wrong.

……………………

'…_I focused all my mouth's attention solely on that spot, my excitement growing as her soft moans were replaced with sharp gasps and lustful groans while she squirmed and writhed underneath me…'_

"GYYAAAHHH!" Natsuki repeatedly slapped the back of her head with her hand, trying to knock the thought out of her. "Bad images, bad images! Get out, get out!" Her eyes darted as she held her face in her hands, trying in vain to stop the blush that overflowed her face. She spun herself around in her revolving chair away from her kitchen counter, her eyes darting around her small but suitable apartment. "I have to find something, do **anything** that can actually take my mind off of these stupid images!" She spoke aloud now, not caring that she was talking to herself.

After looking around the living room, which consisted of a small sofa, a small coffee table, and a TV the size of a portable kitchen television set; everything was small… that's all she could afford even with her part-time job, which was a certain type that required patience but was very close to losing this job because on several occasions Natsuki had very little patience to offer.

Back to Natsuki's current situation, her eyes eventually acknowledged the piles of discarded clothes and open books scattered around her living room; she rarely cared whether her clothes made it into the hamper or not as most nights she would come home late from her college classes -- yes, she was going to college and didn't just skip it, of course she really wanted to, however it was mostly because of Shizuru's persistence that she actually attended -- and would change into her night wear as she would saunter to her futon. Though very put-off by the idea of the labor, Natsuki simply grumbled agitatedly before pushing herself off of her seat and picking up the articles of clothing and open text books; the books she just lazily left in their places after carelessly trying to complete the homework.

Eventually when she came close to the stand near the sofa that had a lamp, a phone (the _only _phone) and an answering machine upon it, she noticed a blinking "1" on the answering machine. Natsuki quirked an eyebrow as she eyed it. 'Must have missed someone yesterday.' She guessed before her hand reached out to press the playback button. Before her hand could touch it, she stopped.

'… What if it's Shizuru? What do I do then? I can't just see or even speak to her after having that…' Natsuki blushed then gulped. '… that _really_ weird dream.' Her eyes stayed locked on it, her hand frozen in its path towards it. 'Wait… Shizuru doesn't really call me; she does the more formal thing and sends letters… so maybe it isn't her… I hope.' Her eyebrows knitted and teeth gritting slightly, preparing herself for what she feared, she finally pressed the button.

… "_Beep… _Yo! Gunslinger! What the hell happened? This was our bar-hopping night wasn't it? So where the hell were you?"

Natsuki let out a sigh of relief as she recognized Nao's voice while totally oblivious to her ranting.

"… Because your ass disappeared, I had to do our little drinking game by myself! Imagine how that was! I'll be expecting an explanation later, just so you know. Oh, and by the way, what you said about me actually finding the right guy but by not tying him up and leaving him in an alley for the cops to get… are you kidding? That's half the fun! … _Beep…_"

Natsuki chuckled slightly; even though Nao didn't have the power that she used to with that spider-child of hers, Nao never even thinks of changing.

Nearing the end of her labor, which did help her mind somewhat, Natsuki tried to hold all the discarded clothes and disregarded books in her arms as she went around so that when she had them all, she could just flop them all onto the sofa and sort from there. With heavy books mixed with clothes in her arms, the phone rang. With lightly furrowed eyebrows signaling her slight aggravation, she fumbled with the items in her arms until she could finally release one hand to grab her non-cordless phone and used her head and shoulder to hold it at her ear and quickly return her hand back down.

"Hello." She asked blandly.

"_Ah! Maido Natsuki. I'm so happy that I was able to reach you, and I'm even more pleased to hear that you old, cute self hasn't changed."_ The girl on the other end seemed to giggle softly within her throat.

CRASH!

"_Natsuki? Are you alright? You sound like you have your hands full." _The girl asked with a hint of alarm in her voice.

'Not anymore…' Natsuki thought as her face portrayed extreme surprise and fear… as well as pain since she felt a throbbing on her foot where one of the heavier textbooks had landed. Right now, she didn't care too much about that or the fact that she would have to restart what she had done; at this point, the jaw of her open mouth dropped up and down, having no idea what to say as she knew that Kyoto-ben accent very well. She gripped the phone tightly with both hands.

"Shi-Shizuru? W-why are you calling here?" She stuttered as her voice quaked somewhat.

"_Pardon?"_ Shizuru seemed to be a bit surprised at the blunt forwardness of Natsuki's question.

Natsuki quickly noticed her error and tried to compose herself, or at least her voice. "I-I mean, this is the first time you've ever called here, and I…"

"_Am I not permitted to use the telephone when trying to contact Natsuki?" _

Natsuki could easily detect her teasing tone, something that she hadn't heard in quite a while -- five years to be exact -- and although she didn't like to admit it, she did find herself missing it at some times. Though right now, Natsuki was in no mood to be happy about hearing it. "Well, n-no. It's just that you always send letters so I wasn't expecting…" Natsuki just stopped there, giving Shizuru the queue to carry on.

"_Oh, I see. I apologize then. I called because I wanted to speak to you a little more directly and not have to wait for a letter to reach you then wait for your reply to come back. I called because I… wanted to ask you something."_

"And that is?" Natsuki asked, feeling the tension in her muscles slowly begin to fade as she became used to Shizuru's voice.

"_I've never really shown you where and how I live, so I wanted to invite you; please come to my home in Kyoto. I haven't seen you in so long Natsuki, so I believe that this will be perfect for us to 'catch up on old times'." _

"Uhh…" What made Natsuki uneasy was (besides the anxiety that the dreams filled her with) the fact that she could hear the hopefulness in the other girl's voice. She paused as she tried to think; 'I can't, I just can't! There's no way I'll be able to look at her now! Man, how am I going to get out of this?' She ran a hand across her face in frustration.

"_Natsuki?"_ Shizuru was beginning to sound worried, which really didn't help Natsuki's situation, as could be predicted._ "Won't you come? You know, it's not good for friends to distance themselves from each other because otherwise the friendship may break off completely. I really don't want that to happen, Natsuki." _

'Oh no, she's trying to reel me in. I can tell since that's the hopeful tone she always uses when trying to gain my sympathy or make me turn in her direction.' Natsuki's hand balled into a fist. 'But nope, there's no way in hell she's going to make me succumb to her!' "I-I don't think I can. I… I have classes all next week… tough classes." She tried, knowing full well that Shizuru would never try to take any opportunities from her education-wise.

"_Ah! I'm pleased that you've become so studious, quite the impressive change since I've last seen you." _Natsuki's hopes lifted a little; maybe she'll let it go then._ "…But Natsuki, forgive me if I'm incorrect, but do you not have a sort of spring break next week?"_

The lifted hopes immediately fell; spring break! She completely forgot about that! Natsuki felt herself sink onto the floor, flags of defeat beginning to wave around her. "Y… yeah…" She responded wearily.

"_How fortunate! Perhaps Natsuki could stay for the week then!"_

Natsuki was beginning to whimper inaudibly. A week? A whole week? She was running out of options. 'No, I'm going to get out of this! The only thing I'm ever going to think about when around her is that blasted dream!' Just when she was about to bring up the fact that she had a part-time job to keep, Shizuru spoke up.

"_Please, Natsuki? I do miss you. It has been five years after all. Hmm… five years… you must be twenty years of age now?" _

Natsuki released a sigh, at least this small change in conversation was a little easier to take. "Twenty-one."

"_Ah yes, I remember now that you were a year younger than me." _There was a very brief pause before Shizuru seemed to let out a sigh-like laugh into the phone. _"Natsuki must be very beautiful."_

Shizuru's statement accompanied with the incredibly soft voice almost made Natsuki slap a hand over her face as she tried to hold back her blush, yet again, in vain. "Shi-Shizuru!" She chided.

Shizuru laughed at the response she received. _"I'm so happy that Natsuki hasn't seemed to have changed."_

"I bet you are…" Natsuki grumbled. "So glad to find out that you haven't changed either…"

"_Well, anyway…" _The other girl continued, trying to settle her laughter. _"As I said, I really do miss you, very much Natsuki. I do wish to see you again. So won't you come? If it's my teasing that makes you uneasy, then I promise that I'll be a little less… forward… than I was before. Is it a deal?"_

Natsuki inwardly whined; Shizuru was the only person in the whole wide world that could make Natsuki's defenses crumble. Her sweet tones and influential words always seemed to somehow corner her. From the serious subjects such as personal problems and education to the downright stupid and worthless things like buying lingerie and undergarments! Shizuru always seemed to know her weak points, and the "I really do miss you, very much" was one.

Natsuki let out another whine-like grumble as she ran her hand hard over her face again, distorting her facial features somewhat. "Damn you…"

Natsuki heard a clap in the background. _"Ureshii!" _Shizuru spoke excitedly, completely disregarding the curse as she knew that meant that Natsuki surrendered. _"Ookini, Natsuki. I promise I'll make the week as enjoyable as I can for you."_

"Great…" Natsuki's bland voice returned as the hand continued to run over her face with her eyes closed. 'What have I gotten myself into?' "How do you expect me to get there, pray tell? You know I hardly ever travel much."

The other girl's response was quick and simple; _"Take the train."_

"Money for the ticket?"

"_I'll send it to you, along with the directions to my house from the station. I'll send it as an overnight delivery." _Shizuru stated pointedly.

Natsuki quirked an eyebrow at the "overnight delivery" she heard. "When exactly are you expecting me there? Tomorrow promptly at seven AM?"

Shizuru chuckled. _"As nice as seven sounds, I was thinking more like three or four PM."_

Natsuki's eyes immediately widened. "Three PM **tomorrow**?" She asked incredulously. "Isn't that a little early?"

Shizuru giggled in her throat again before she spoke softly. _"I am eager to see you, Natsuki."_

"I notice…" Natsuki released a sigh as she rubbed her nape. She stopped as she realized something."Wait, tomorrow's Sunday, how is the ticket supposed to get to me when the mail isn't even going to be delivered?"

There seemed to be a pause on the other side and Natsuki immediately felt alleviated; at least she would have a day to think things through. _"Hm.. yes.. you're quite right. Well then I'll make sure to send it today and perhaps you can comeon Monday when you recieve it. I'll make sure that the departure time is later for you so that you don't feel rushed." _Shizuru seemed to pause again briefly. _"I just fear that you'll be too tired by the time you arrive."_

Natsuki couldn't help but release a small chuckle. "Oh I wouldn't worry about that, Shizuru. When around you, it's difficult to be tired since I have to keep myself alert for your relentless teasing." Feeling the small smile on her face, she quirked an eyebrow as she stated this.

Shizuru yet again let out a giggle from her throat though it sounded a little mischevious. _"I'm so glad Natsuki focuses so much of her attention on me." _Natsuki could just visualize the impish grin on Shizuru's face though she didn't respond since she basically expected as much. "_Well then, __I'll be waiting for you." _The tone her voice sounded sultrier than necessary, making the pink shade return to her cheeks.

She tightly shut her eyes and hardened her facial features complete with knitted eyebrows. "… Right."

Shizuru only giggled softly again. _"Ho na, Natsuki."_

"Bye." With that, she quickly hung up the phone and leaned back against the sofa behind her. "Manipulated by that girl's words again." A small smile grazed her face. "Well Shizuru, I'm glad to know you haven't lost your touch."

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Some Kyoto-ben used in this chapter (Thanks to Akuma-sama ) ):  
Maido - Hello  
Ookini - Thank you  
Ho na - Goodbye


	3. Hectic Travels

Not a lot of Shizuru in this one, though I did try and make it humorous to replace that. Then again we all know that Shizuru is irreplaceable! (Devoted signer and follower of the Love Shizuru fan club) lol.

Chapter 3: Hectic Travels

It had been two days and Natsuki was still nervous about going to Shizuru's house. During those two days Natsuki had contemplated ways of how she would get through -or survive rather -the week without being constantly plagued by the images of the dreams; Yes, she had yet another… _graphic_ dream during the night of day one. After envisioning that dream, she would have easily chosen to make do with the first one revisiting her mind as that dream was certainly much _lighter_ than the second one.

Though Natsuki wasn't very willing to go into details, all that she could say about the second dream was that it had to do with a rather familiar dressing room in the clothing area of a department store and Shizuru's very frisky fingers on her skin and her deep, flirty voice in her ear.

'The worst part about that dream was that I was actually _enjoying_ it!' Natsuki let her head drop as she let out a whine-like groan. 'I actually don't know which dream is worse since I can't really picture myself being the lead and so willingly in such an act like in the first one.' She blushed. 'And the second one is difficult to picture altogether because Shizuru was behind me the whole time doing the reach-around on me! She didn't even take the time to take off my pan-' Stopping herself, she blushed even harder and shook her head vigorously.

Realizing that that wasn't working, she did a speed-walk to the bathroom sink. She took the cup that normally held her toothbrush, toothpaste and used to rinse her mouth out and filled it with freezing-cold water. Not exactly pouring but splashing it onto her head she closed her eyes as she felt the runnels of water trickling down her head, neck, front and back, cooling her flushed skin. She released a heavy sigh as she calmed her mind from the previous thoughts as well as her body from the shock of the cold water; that helped. "They're just dreams, stupid dreams, nothing more." Natsuki had told herself that many times during the last two days.

After letting herself slip into the peaceful silence in her mind, Natsuki glanced down at her watch; she had two more hours to finish packing up and be ready to leave. She had received Shizuru's letter earlier that day though she wasn't exactly sure if she would be able to make it there in the time-frame that Shizuru had hoped, but she would try.

Natsuki's eyes widened as she remembered something then quickly looked down at her watch again to double-check herself. "Damn, I forgot to pick the laundry up." She had procrastinated in getting ready until early that morning when she had taken her load of dirty clothes down to the laundry room of the apartment complex. Not being patient enough to actually wait there for the washer to be done, she just went back up to her own apartment until she knew it would be. She remembered to go back down and switch the load from the washer to the dryer, but she completely forgot about it after that.

Natsuki sped out the door, (then ran back in, grabbed her linked keys off of the counter, sped out again, closed the door and locked it from the outside while mockingly muttering the phrase the old woman next door kept reminding her with whenever she didn't lock her door; "you can't be too safe in dangerous cities like this", not that she found it dangerous enough for her not to handle it anyway) then sprinted towards the elevator and repeatedly pressed the "Down" button.

She knew two hours was plenty of time to fold and pack all she needed for the week.However, the only thing that made herrush was the apartment manager's frustration as she (and a few other residents in the complex) would leave the laundry in either the washer or the dryer for hours on end even after the washing and/or drying cycles had been completed. The manager would then get complaints from the other residents and would soon yell at the lazy resident for not picking their laundry up (who was Natsuki most of the time) and letting other people complete their daily chores; this chain of events was the reason why Natsuki hated doing laundry. Once she had left her clothes in the washer so long that by the time she remembered to go down and but them in the dryer, they had already dried!

'I could run down the stairs and get to the laundry room faster than this thing would reach this floor.' Natsuki complained in her head thirty seconds before the doors finally opened for her. She pressed the "1" button then leaned against the back of the elevator with her arms crossed. Natsuki grumbled as she scratched the back of her head. 'I knew I was missing something to pack…'

Once the doors finally opened again, she dashed (or pushed) through the group of people who were waiting to get into the very same elevator and curved and stopped into the room: four washers and four dryers, two of which were still in mid-cycle with residents standing by them. Luckily, the manager wasn't there yet, so she quickly grabbed one of the many bins stored against the back wall and threw all of the clean clothes out of the dryer and into the bin.

Then she noticed something within the mountain of clothes made the bin much heavier than it should. She reached a hand in and searched blindly until her hand came across a hard object. With furrowed eyebrows of confusion, she pulled it out and her eyes widened. 'A… A textbook?... How the hell…?'

Her brows furrowed again but this time in agitation. When she was picking all the clothes and books off the floor, she must have missed one of the smaller and lighter textbooks and was too careless and too much of a haste to get out of the laundry room and back into the sanctity of her own apartment to really sort. She always picked the clothes up then throw them into things all at once without really taking much notice to things within the bundle. In fact, she did hear a rather loud 'bang' when she dropped the load in but she only shrugged carelessly as she closed the lid of the washer.

'Didn't exactly come out "squeaky clean"…' She thought skeptically with a crooked eyebrow as she noticed the rumpled and torn pages of the textbook. Not caring yet again, she tossed the already and overly-abused book onto the load of clothes and picked up the heavy bin again. Sheturned only to run into none other than her manager's leering glare. He was her height was a middle-aged, glasses-wearing, business suit-sporting guy, though Natsuki saw absolutely no point in him wearing business suits every day just because he was the manager of an apartment complex. Especially when that building was so small and weathering so much with age that she was surprised that the city hadn't agreed for it to be demolished yet (not that she didn't expect it to demolish itself and fall apart on its own eventually).

"Hello again, Miss. Kuga," Natsuki noticed how he was using his big-shot tone again and tried to refrain from rolling her eyes. That failed, though he didn't say anything about it as Natsuki knew he had seen it from her many times and had grown used to it. "Doing our laundry again, are we? Well, then again you don't need to tell me…"

"Is the fact that I'm holding a bin full of dried clothes giving you a clue?" Natsuki asked sarcastically with only a crooked eyebrow to accompany her tone.

Natsuki noticed his jaw clench, lips harden and eyes narrow, apparently trying to hold back another ranting retort to her smartass remarks. "No. I just had yet another complaint about an incessant banging noise coming from the very washer and dryer you're standing next to." He nodded his head towards the said machines. Natsuki looked down at them with slight panic starting to build up; she hoped that the book didn't leave any indentations in the insides. He would have her head for that, or worse, her money so that he could pay for the repairs.

Trying to step around the manager's implied accusation, Natsuki just looked back up at him with furrowed eyebrows again. "What? Do you think I was hitting them with a bat as punishment for somehow not cleaning my clothes the way that I wanted them to? Or are you_ just_ noticing that there aren't any dents on the outside of the machines like you _just_ noticed the hint that I'm holding a bin full of laundry? Maybe you should work on your perception skills, sir." She asked in the same tone as before.

Seeing that she was about to break into another one of his rants, Natsuki falsely glanced at her watch and shuffled around him as she spoke quickly. "I'd love to stay and chat, really, but I'm leaving on a very important trip soon and I can't be late." That was both true and false as she dodged the hand that tried to grab her by the arm as she sped passed him. "I promise to send you a postcard though!" That was definitely a lie, yelling it over her shoulder as she came to the elevator.

She pushed the button repeatedly again but with much more force as she knew business-suit-boy was hot on her tail. But by the mercy of the heavens the elevator came to her much faster than before and she slipped in between the doors and pressed the "close doors" button. Natsuki smiled in triumph as she watched the doors close before the manager could break her escape.

Natsuki came to her apartment, literally dropped the heavy bin onto the floor, sorted, folded, and stuffed everything she was going to need for the week in her large navy blue duffle bag which sported a few strips of duck-tape around it in places where it had been previously torn and all by different causes; too many heavy objects in it at one time, a "mishap" in the airline baggage area, zipper wouldn't unzip so her trusty ol' Swiss army knife had to make an appearance, etc.

By the time she was done packing and double checking to make sure she had everything, she checked her watch again and was slightly surprised to see that she had forty-five minutes left before the train would depart; a decent amount of time to get there and into her seat. She took a breath then stood up, hoisted her bag over her shoulder and made her way out the door (then, having forgotten again, repeated the same routine she had done when she was on her way to the laundry room).

After stealthy sneaking around the manager's attention as he was talking to another resident, she ran through the doors of the complex and quickly called for a taxi before he could see her escaping again. She had been very good at this since her school years when the teachers would be looking around for her. In about fifteen minutes the taxi came up to the station and, after paying the driver the cab fare and muttering something about the damn fare meter being broken and cabbies ripping off unsuspecting customers, made her way around the groups and crowds of people.

With Shizuru's money given to her – and thank the gods for it, Natsuki thought as she saw the price for a single ticket to Kyoto – she bought a ticket only to have it be constantly checked by the overly-suspicious security then slipped it through the scanning slot at the gate and grabbed it again at the other end of the slot for when she reached Kyoto.

Natsuki got onto the train with perhaps another fifteen minutes left to spare. Once she found her seat, she literally threw then punched her duffle bag into the small compartment above until it 'looked' like it fit then let herself nearly collapse into her seat with a heavy sigh. She stretched in her seat as she heard the other passengers board. 'Two hours to Kyoto by train, right? So then I might get there by the time Shizuru wanted me too.' Natsuki thought as if she was trying to assure herself.

As the train began to move a few minutes later, Natsuki actually found herself to be quite eager yet still a little nervous to see her long-time friend and schoolmate. She wasn't really sure why though; perhaps she just missed her company after living alone for five years, all the things Shizuru would invite her into doing such as shopping and/or sleepovers. Or maybe it was her always-optimistic attitude that seemed to make Natsuki's school day much more bearable so that she was actually _willing_ to attend.

Then again maybe it was just the fact that out of every person she had ever met since school and worked with in her odd jobs, nobody, not a single person was anything like Shizuru. 'That's certainly true.' Natsuki felt a smile pull at her lips, soon realizing how all three possibilities were true about the former council president.

She remembered how whenever a festival came around Shizuru would always ask her to "accompany" her in "taking part in the festive events of this coming holiday". And of course no matter how bluntly or how many times she'd say "no", Shizuru would just keep trying and trying until she found the perfect statements that would make Natsuki reluctantly change her mind.

Natsuki remembered how Shizuru would dress in her favorite kimono while she would just wear casual, not caring if people thought it was inappropriate in respect for the holiday. Shizuru never spoke against it and showed not one hint of disapproval towards it. Natsuki never figured out why since she _was_ the refined and proper Shizuru. She never asked either but that was because she hadn't really cared to think about it until now.

88( Flashback )88

The most annoying thing about festivals, besides actually _going_ to them and destroying whatever spare time you had for the rest of the day, was that the Fujino Shizuru fan club was always on the look-out for the elegant president of Fuuka Academy. Natsuki was surprised that they didn't just pick her up and toss her out of the way when they would run up to their idol; or then again 'mistress' more like by the way they would act around her, ready to obey any request and/or command at a whim.

Another annoying thing would be how the many guys of the school would spot Shizuru walking passed them and would immediately try and show off their skills at the game booths. The ones who actually did win at the games would then turn and wink or smile at her. Loathing would not be the proper word to describe Natsuki's disgust towards this; she felt like leaving right then and there before she'd slip on all the testosterone being presented especially to Shizuru. However, she then saw the pistol-shooting booth where yet another boy stood trying his targeting abilities.

Of course, the same boy noticed Shizuru and right then decided showed a rather pretentious display of skill. When he was done, he grinned at the results and turned to give her a flirty wink. "I'm the best shot in Fuuka, have been since age twelve, and I've been told to be quite the charmer so I don't think you'll ever find somebody else like me Fujino-san." He stated confidently, though Natsuki had no idea why he was rambling on about stupid things about himself; especially when this boy looked like a dope in his fringe-sleeved black leather jacket. His single earring and sunglasses made him look even more like a moron since it was twilight and was just trying to look cool with the addition of a feminine accessory attached to his ear.

She looked over to Shizuru, who just kept her famous calm smile intact. "Are you? How impressive. Though I believe Natsuki has both those traits as well." Her smile didn't change but her eyes brightened slightly as she turned to deep ocean-blue-haired girl next to her.

Both the boy and Natsuki looked at her with faces that clearly said 'Excuse me?'.

"Surely you would be willing to give it a try, Natsuki? I know you take much pleasure in games such as this." Shizuru gave Natsuki her closed-eye and bright-smile face. What she said was true, Natsuki knew it, she liked any games that involved shooting things since it would help her ease her mind from the daily frustrations in life.

"Fine." Expressionlessly, she walked up to the counter and took a bb-gun next to the boy who just looked at her as though she was a new threat to his self-esteem even though she was just another girl. Natsuki was taking a little pleasure in this anyway; at least she would be beating a boy down at the same time since she had had much practice with guns as well. The targets were just basically a whole bunch of little things like beer bottles, short planks of wood, stuffed animals, mugs etc. with little targets on them.

After paying for a round, she fired a shot… much to her annoyance, it missed her target. Her eye twitched as she heard the boy snicker next to her. She looked down at the gun; it was made for one hand but bigger than what she was used to but luckily she found one the size of a PP7 on the counter and picked it up. She fired; yep, much better. With a confident smirk, she went through every target with awing precision and loved every moment of it, watching as her high score flew up with every pull of the trigger. When she was done, there was nothing left and she placed her gun back down on the counter.

Despite the hilarity the incredulous looks on the boy's and the booth-keeper's facesb provoked, Natsuki forced her face to utilize a stolid-like boredom as she turned to Shizuru. She leaned her hip against the counter and crossed her arms over her stomach as if to say 'Happy?'

Like always, Shizuru's smile remained unchanged but her eyes seemed much brighter than before. After three seconds, Shizuru looked around them and noticed that Natsuki had actually gathered a crowd to gape at her abilities. The tawny-haired girl chuckled, "As Always, you never cease to amaze, Natsuki." Her smile brightened like her eyes as Natsuki had just realized what Shizuru had and blushed at the amount of attention she was getting. Seeing the gaping look on the boy's face was well worth it though.

"Are we done here?" Natsuki cleared her throat and ran a hand through her hair, no longer wanting to be the center of attention. She wondered how Shizuru could stand it since she endured this every day at school.

Shizuru shook her head lightly. "Not quite yet, there is still more I want to do with you."

Natsuki sighed, exhaustion already setting in. "A simple "yes" would have been too merciful for me, right?"

The council president laughed softly. "Exactly." She turned to the boy who looked like he was about to have an anxiety attack. "It appears that a little more practice is required of you if you indeed wish to gain the title of "The best shot in Fuuka"." She stated simply yet kindly, though Natsuki couldn't help but smirk at it.

The boy looked up at the both of them, trying to find the right words or _any_ words to say. Eventually he simply uttered "R-right." and looked back down at guns on the counter.

"You're prize, miss." The booth-keeper called to Natsuki. She looked down at it and her brows immediately knitted and her eyes took on a scornful look at the amount of furry cuteness the brown teddy bear that was perhaps less than one-third her height portrayed. If it was at least a stuffed wolf or dog she would have considered taking it home, but not a teddy bear.

In a way that would have been considered immoral amongst those who would melt at the sight of teddy bears, Natsuki gruffly grabbed the stuffed bear and didn't even hold it under one arm but gripped it in one hand. "Thanks." She muttered in a grumbling voice. She walked over to Shizuru, who just stood there while holding both her hands in front of her and smile towards Natsuki's reaction to her prize – she found those reactions to normally cute things to be an adorable part of her, almost like watching her pout -- as she waited for Natsuki to come to her side before they walked away together.

"It is a cute reward, isn't it?" Shizuru commented as she looked at the stuffed toy. Natsuki looked up at her somewhat incredulously, but then brought it up to take a good look at it and finally acknowledged that material used for the fur was actually quite soft to the point where it could almost be mistaken for rabbit fur. The eyes had been shiny black buttons which easily reflected the different colored lights and lanterns that had hung above them. She offered it to Shizuru with a simple "want it?" while holding it over to her with one hand.

"Are you certain?" Shizuru asked as she brought up a hand to take it.

"You honestly think _I'm_ going to keep it?" Natsuki responded with a skeptically quirked eyebrow. Shizuru took the bear and held it in one hand while smoothing out the wrinkles where Natuki's finger's had gripped it and smiled at it; it looked genuine, not the usual calm smile but a real one brought out with fondness. Natsuki knew that she was one of the few, if not the only one besides anyone in the Fujino family, to ever see it. She guessed that very deep within herself, she was a little proud to have that ability of making Shizuru's real smile surface itself.

Shizuru hugged the teddy bear to her chest. "Thank you, Natsuki."

The older girl's simple words and glittering eyes made Natsuki fluster somewhat but she quickly looked away and closed her eyes, feeling her brows knit together again. "Yeah, no problem." She responded dully.

After a few more seconds of silence, Shizuru giggled softly. "I knew that there was a trait of charm in you." She gave her eye-closed bright-smile face again as she tilted her head to see Natsuki's reaction and chuckled again at the other girl's resurfacing fluster.

88 ( EndFlasback ) 88

Natsuki sighed almost in regret. 'I should have seen that coming.' She scolded herself for not being more prepared for Shizuru's 'attacks'. Mentally waving that part of the memory away, Natsuki looked back out through the window, her elbow on the armrest of the seat with her chin leaning on the knuckles of her balled fist. Her emerald eyes watched as the busy city streets, buildings and large billboards passed and were eventually replaced by neighborhood towns, then waited for the towns to be interchanged with countryside and village districts.

'I kind of wonder if she still has it; that bear. Whenever she'd invite me to a sleepover at her house since that festival, I'd see it in her room, on her bed, nothing else next to it. That is until I decided that some of the games at the festivals were actually worth playing and whenever I'd win another stuffed animal I'd just give it to Shizuru.' Natsuki felt a small smile on her face as she remembered coming into Shizuru's room and every year noticing more and more stuffed animals on her bed; not a single stuffed prize that Natsuki won ever went missing once placed in the crimson-eyed girl's hands.

The city-girl's smile soon faded as she remembered another yet not so happy festival. That festival where the only people in her school that she ever made acquaintances with had suffered and were blinded by fear, distrust, hatred and greed. The HiME Festival… that's when things turned between Shizuru and herself and it was equally hard for the both of them to get things right again. Natsuki often wondered why Shizuru felt that way for her, what it was about this rebellious and revenge-driven girl that Shizuru fell in love with.

Natsuki shook her head; she shouldn't be thinking about things like that when she's on her way to that very person's house. 'Though I'm sure she thinks about it as often as I do if not more.' She shook her head even harder; still not good.

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An hour had passed since then and the mountainous terrains and woody forests presented themselves to the eyes of the passengers of the train. Half an hour after that, a small city-like area could be seen and also happened to be the place where the train would arrive at. Though it only took fifteen to twenty more minutes to get there and stop at the station, to Natsuki it seemed like hours; the anticipation was really starting to set in.

When the train finally stopped with a lunging halt, Natsuki waited for most of the other passengers to get off before she did; it came rather easily since it took a couple minutes to pull her large duffle bag out of the tiny compartment area above her anyway.

Many people who passed by the blue-haired girl gave her odd looks, especially when she was about to resort to placing both feet on the wall of the train and try to pull the bag out with her body parallel to the floor. One man actually came up to her, asking her if she needed help but all he in response was Natsuki's well-known "Get-Out-Of-My-Face / None-Of-Your-Business-So-Back-Away / Stay-The-Hell-Away-From-Me" demonic glare (the only one who was immune to the sinister evil eye was of course Ms. Shizuru).

Without having to try and defy the laws of gravity, she was able to pull the huge bag out (though nearly falling to the ground with it in the process due to its weight) and make her way off the train. The ticket was scanned again at the gate, security frisked, people walked around her and she walked around people, made her way out of the station and called for another cab.

When she got into it, she pulled out the directions that Shizuru had given her in the letter. "I need to go here." She leaned forward towards the driver, showing him the letter and pointing at the exact address. "Do you know where it is?"

The driver took a look at it, his eyes narrowing as he tried to read the fine cursive penmanship – 'hmph, go figure' Natsuki thought once she saw Shizuru's perfect handwriting -- and then rested his chin in his fingers as he tried to recognize and pinpoint the location. Once it hit him, he found himself taken aback in surprise, wondering why he hadn't found it familiar in an instant.

"Fujino Estate? You're going there?" He exclaimed with the thick Kyoto-ben accent that she had become used to. He sounded almost incredulous at the idea once he looked Natsuki up and down. Natsuki's eyes narrowed as she saw this; what was his problem? "Are you some intern in a department in Fujino Industries or something?"

Natsuki quirked an eyebrow; did this guy _want_ to be injured? "No." She replied bitterly. "But then again, is it any of your business?" She flashed a sneer, signaling him to just shut up and drive. With a cough, he took the signal and started up the engine.

"I must warn you though; it is a bit of a ways." He noted as he drove on the main street.

Natsuki simply waved a hand as she repositioned herself in the back seat. "Whatever."

She leaned back and waited for them to reach the destination while she watched tall pagodas pass by her window.

888888

'He considers _this_ to be 'a bit of a ways'? Where the hell is he taking me, back to my apartment!'

Natsuki sat in that cab for what seemed like hours. She became suspicious when they had started going up the roads of a mountain that seemed populated by only trees. However, the only answers she received after asking and complaining about the distance was "It's this way" and "we're getting closer". Though apparently not close enough.

After about twenty more minutes of seeing nothing but more trees, Natsuki was about ready to get out of the cab, ask a local and walk the rest of the way since it was much better than being screwed for money, the driver pulled up in front of a double-door iron gate. The only thing that could be seen past the gate was the bend of a pebble-made road. A stone wall that was two feet high lined the road's hedges and followed the bend. Behind the stone wall were more of the tall, evergreen colored and light-leafed trees with many flowers planted around them. It looked like a meadow.

"…This is it?" Natsuki asked as she continued to gaze at it.

"Look at the plaque and read for yourself." He sighed as he waited for her to get out and pay him so that he could go back to the city and get more fares.

On one of the two taller walls of stone that held the gate at each side was a bronze plaque. Natsuki's eyes narrowed to read it more accurately since it was somewhat obscured by the thin vines that crept up and around the walls.

"Fujino Estate"

Natsuki blinked at it. "O..-kay." She muttered as she reached for her bag while opening the car door. Just being at the front gate of Shizuru's home and remembering that it has been five years since she'd seen her, made Natsuki nervous, anxious and even excited all at once. She stepped out, fresh, mountain air greeting her; at least it helped her relax. When she was about to look around to find a way to open the gate, an annoying "_Ahem_." sounded behind her.

She rolled her eyes, turned to the driver and asked for the cost. Natsuki's eyes widened and her jaw dropped; it was nearly three times as much as the cab fare to the station earlier that day! Grumbling and murmuring curses, Natsuki pulled out her wallet and threw the money into the front passenger. Barely hearing the words "thank you", Natsuki watched as he did a K-turn and drove off.

"Spend wisely, jackass." Natsuki muttered as she walked closer to the gate, which she soon found to be one of the automated types. Beneath a curtain of vines on the wall opposite the plaque held what looked like an intercom. She blindly pressed the largest button.

"_Fujino residence, how may I help you?"_ sounded the voice of an older woman that Natsuki didn't recognize.

Natsuki cleared her throat which suddenly went dry. "Uh-yeah, I'm here by invitation for Shizuru Fujino." She tried to sound as professional as she possible could, knowing that the people that Shizuru surrounded herself with would most likely be very 'hoity-toity' so to speak.

There was a small pause. _"Give your name please?"_

"Kuga Natsuki."

Another small pause. _"Just a moment please…"_

With a 'thud' Natsuki dropped her bag as she turned to lean her back against the wall. It kind of took them a while to get back to her. In fact it began to take so long that the intercom might as well have played that elevator music that companies always leave you on hold with. Just when Natsuki was beginning to believe that this woman had forgotten about her completely and left her with the only option of climbing over the wall and reminding her, the gate that was perhaps a foot taller than Natsuki creaked open.

Natsuki heaved her duffle bag over her shoulder again and walked through the gate. Her heart seemed to speed up as she passed it; she wondered what Shizuru looked like now, if anything in her personality had changed at all, what kind of occupations she might have taken up, if there was anyone Shizuru might have fallen in love with during the past five years and still had a relationship with…

She felt her throat tighten and a quick, stabbing pain in her chest. She quickly shook herself out of it; what the hell kind of a reaction was that? What did she care if Shizuru fell for someone else? Her love life shouldn't matter to her. It'd only mean that Shizuru's previous obsession for her was gone and that she no longer needed to worry about her. It'd only mean that the density of Shizuru's love for her had lightened in weight so that it no longer went passed the line of friendship. That was good, wasn't it?

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	4. Natsuki's Interesting Introduction

Hope you enjoy this chapter :) Shizuru was fun to write :P

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Chapter 4: Natsuki's Interesting Introduction

One of Natsuki's wide eyes twitched slightly at the size of the Fujino home. The pebble-made road to it was a bit of a walk though it wasn't anything she couldn't handle as her attention was already focused on the structure that was her destination. As she had walked, the trees that followed the bending road obscured her vision from it slightly and it wasn't until she exited the path guarded by trees and stone that she was able to see the home's massiveness in full light.

It looked like an old fashioned and traditional Japanese home with its shouji-type doors and pagoda-style roofs (except it didn't have multiple floors). In fact, it looked a lot like the little house that Shizuru had spent her high school years within, the one that she would be invited into many times. This, however, was a much… _much_ bigger version. Native-bred trees and flowers dotted the well-groomed yard that surrounded the structure, adding beauty and charm to the estate.

Natsuki's eye twitched again. 'How in Hell does she get enough money for _this_?' Her mind screamed, wanting to know the secret. She was completely frozen; she felt insignificant to the standards that this _mansion_ seemed to imply. 'C'mon, c'mon Natsuki!' Her conscience urged. 'Just get to the door! How would it look if somebody saw you just standing there dumbly through a window or something?'

Taking that last thought into consideration, she took a small gulp then forced her locked legs to move forward. Up the stone pathway and up a small wooden set of stairs she followed, which led to the open corridor where one could walk around the outside of the house if desired.

She hesitantly knocked on the two-door shouji directly in front of the staircase, using the seven-beat knock that many people tend to use. Before she could get the seventh knock in, one of the double-doors suddenly slid open, making Natsuki jump back slightly in surprise. Natsuki blinked at the unfamiliar face of a woman that held a blank expression as she seemed to observe the city-girl from top to bottom like the cab driver did.

"Ms. Kuga, I presume?" She asked when her eyes finally landed back onto Natsuki's.

"Uh-yeah…" 'Who the hell else would it be? I _was_ the only one waiting out there.' She inwardly growled but said nothing. "Is Shizuru around?" Natsuki's eyes peeked around to whatever part of the inside she could see as if expecting Shizuru to be hiding around a corner.

"Shizuru Ojou-sama is waiting for you in the courtyard. I'll show you to it." The short-haired women stated simply before letting her eyes fall onto the duffel bag on the other girl's shoulder. "You can leave your… um… _belongings_ near the doorway."

'Ojou-sama?' Natsuki noticed the look of uneasiness at the sight of the bag held together by duck-tape. Her grip on the shoulder-strap tightened as a knot of annoyance formed on the back of her head. So it wasn't the greatest sight to see but hey, it has fulfilled its purpose fine so far so there's no need to look at it that way!

Acting as though the last look didn't bother her, she stepped inside and laid the duffel bag in said area. "Ojou-sama already made the arrangements for the room you are going to stay in, so your things will be delivered there soon." The woman slid the door shut then took a couple steps into the room, waiting for Natsuki to follow.

The style of the interior of the house seemed a little more modernized than the traditional visage the exterior seemed to portray. The lighting, the walls, the furniture; it was decorated quite lavishly, so on the inside, it definitely looked like part of a mansion. Framed photos, lamps and/or bowls of fruit were placed on oak floor cabinets with silver handles. Large windows were opposite those with the beautiful yard and many trees as the view.

Natsuki was led through a few corridors, passing closed door after closed door, complete silence broken only by footsteps upon polished, hard dark wood floors. As she looked around, she noticed that there was hardly anyone else around the house besides the few other people dressed in some sort of uniform passing by. She guessed that they served and maintained the household. Something about this seemed strange, something about their behavior though she couldn't really pick it out. It felt almost eerie.

Natsuki had to make an abrupt halt as the women in front of her stopped at another pair of shouji doors. She slid one of the doors open and gestured for her to enter with a wave of her hand. "You'll find her in here; I trust you can find her own your own. I hope you enjoy your stay here." She bowed her head slightly as Natsuki stepped through.

"Thanks." Natsuki uttered before the door slid shut behind her. Feeling her heart race again, she cautiously stepped into a traditional Japanese garden. It was even more beautiful and peaceful than the grounds surrounding the house. It seemed to hold everything a Japanese gardener would ask for; a shallow pond complete with a small bridge and a few stepping stones with even some Koi to inhabit it, stone lanterns and stone groupings which held the flowers and ferns in place and finally a large Japanese Maple tree as a finishing touch. Its leaves were bright and beautiful enough for any visitor to stare at as it was planted on the small island of the pond.

As Natsuki's green eyes followed it from top to bottom, they eventually landed upon long, wavy, tawny hair which fell to almost below the small of the slender figure's back. Natsuki's eyes widened as she gulped; it definitely was Shizuru, she could tell by her posture as she sat on a flat side of a small boulder near the water's edge of the island. The sunlight which dripped between the moving leaves of the maple tree fell onto her hair and skin of her arms. Her back was facing her, but that didn't help as a million things seemed to run through her mind:

'What should I do? What should I say? Should I just say "hello" from here? No, no, it wouldn't be the best start; too careless even for me. Should I wait for her to notice me? No, that would be stupid. Sneak up behind her and say "hi" right behind her ear? Hm, no, it'd probably make her jump. And on that note it also sounds like something she'd be willing to do to me… Maybe I should do my usual greeting and just walk up to her and let her hear me coming so that she'll turn around and say "hi" first. Yeah, that might be good… _sigh_… I sound like a guy trying to figure out ways to ask a girl out… that's pretty low to sink…'

"I do hope that Natsuki hasn't lost her voice; I would miss it greatly."

The sound of a somewhat deeper but certainly familiar and soft voice made Natsuki freeze in her position. Looking at Shizuru, she didn't seem to have moved and her face still turned away; surely she had heard her come in despite the sounds of moving waters (which actually happened to come from a small and partially submerged fountain within the pond). Finding herself at a loss for words, Natsuki rubbed her nape with her palm sheepishly. "… W-well I wasn't exactly sure of how to…" She trailed off, wishing she had started her sentence differently so that she could have ended it a little easier.

Shizuru's head seemed to fall slightly forward as a small laugh escaped her lips. "Natsuki should have realized by now," She leaned one hand on the boulder underneath her as she turned her back and neck the opposite direction. Looking over her shoulder which her hair splayed over, her burgundy eyes landed onto Natsuki's green. "That however way she may choose to approach me is fine, just as long as she decides to remain next to me."

The glitter in her eyes hadn't changed at all, Natsuki easily noticed even despite their distance. The way Shizuru's eyes contrasted her hair through her long bangs made both stand out equally. Had Shizuru's eyes always been that bright?

To avoid any comments from the other girl about her stare, Natsuki placed her hands in the pockets of her jeans and casually walked towards her. "Yeah well, for a second I wasn't sure if it was really you." She lied but thought nothing of it. "Five years can do a lot to a person, though I see you haven't changed very much. Only your hair has grown out a little more." She stated as she stepped onto each stepping stone and came up next to her old friend, whose eyes never left her. Natsuki subtly observed her friend's face: it seemed to have thinned a little since the last time she saw her; perhaps it was just her features maturing. And she certainly has matured, as her face alone portrayed her transition from girl to woman.

"I see yours has as well, but did you cut the front? I see you have a fringe." Shizuru reached up to the part of Natsuki's hair that used to be held behind her ears. Her part was still the same, but now she seemed to have bangs that went to her cheekbones and framed her face a little more.

As Shizuru's fingers felt through the shortened dark blue hair, her wrist also came close enough to the other girl's face that Natsuki could pick up a faint scent. She blinked a few times when she found herself becoming curious over the fragrance of the perfume. 'What the hell's wrong with me?' She abruptly turned away from Shizuru's hand, making the fingers leave her hair as she went to lean her back against the tree.

"So," Natsuki started, changing the subject. "I'm here, so what is it that you plan on doing with me?" She inquired as she folded her arms over her stomach.

The flaxen-haired girl smirked as she crossed her legs, giving her brown skirt a slight ruffle. "You make it sound as though I fixed a schedule for us even before I asked you to stay with me." She sounded surprised yet expectant.

"Didn't you?" Natsuki quirked an eyebrow knowingly.

Shizuru shook her head, though Natsuki looked at her incredulously. "No, not really; there are a few things I've thought about doing with you, but…" She paused, almost hesitantly, before she calmly stood up and held both hands in front of her with her oh-so-famous smile grazing her face once again. "There are other things I must do with you before then."

Natsuki just looked at her for a moment, as though waiting for her to speak again. "Such as?"

The azure-haired girl was graced with a second famous and long-since-seen expression of Shizuru's; her closed-eye and bright-smile expression with the addition of tilting her head to one side. "Such as introducing you to my mother and uncle."

Natsuki blinked as she looked at the other girl a bit strangely. She paused as her eyes darted from side to side in confusion before asking, "Do we have to?"

The other girl found Natsuki's simple question amusing; she sounded nervous. "Of course. This estate belongs to my parents, so would you not believe it arrogant to not meet them since you'll be staying here with me?" she inquired.

Blinking again, Natsuki found herself stuck. "Um, no… I guess not. Wait, you _still_ live with your parents? Don't you think you should be packing up and heading out soon?" She quirked an eyebrow in disbelief.

Shizuru chuckled and shook her head at Natsuki's cute naïveté. "No, no. I have a home of my own in another part of Kyoto." She smiled.

Natsuki paused as her eyes wandered around the garden then back to Shizuru. "Then why are we staying here?"

The other girl seemed to pause hesitantly again though her smile stayed the same. Her eyes cast slightly downward. "As part of the Fujino family, I hold a certain share in Fujino Industries. Certain affairs have to be taken care of for the industry," Her eyes were finally able to look onto Natsuki's intent ones. "That's why I'm here. I'm sure you understand?" She asked softly.

Natsuki nodded, "More or less, yeah." She took a hand out of her pocket and ran it through her long blue mane. "So, when am I supposed to meet them?" Asking with hardly any eagerness in her voice, she lets the hand hang out of her pocket.

Shizuru's smile widened. She took Natsuki's hand and led her over the stone steps of the pond. "The sooner, the better. Don't you agree?"

In her surprise to the suddenness, she fumbled for words to delay the introduction then ultimately ended it with a heavy sigh of defeat and obedient footsteps following Shizuru's.

"By the way, what's with 'Ojou-sama'?" Natsuki asked after a few minutes of silence while walking through the nearly lifeless hallways.

Shizuru smiled slightly. "Since I'm the child in the family, the people who service my mother in this house feel that it is their duty to call me that for means of formal respect. I've been called that ever since I was little, so I've become quite used to it." She explained simply as they neared two flights of stairs that led to the second floor.

As they walked through another hallway, which Natsuki found was no different than the others on the first floor, the sapphire-haired girl noticed that Shizuru was still holding her hand. Shizuru's hand was warm, almost sweaty, and was cupping Natsuki's rather tightly. Was she nervous? If she was, for what reason? Shizuru shouldn't be nervous about doing the introduction; it was she who should be nervous about being introduced.

One more turn around a corner and after a few more steps they soon came to a door made out of dark wood with a gold handle. As Shizuru laid her hand on the doorknob, Natsuki sheepishly spoke up. "You're going to do most of the talking, I hope?"

Shizuru's burgundy eyes looked up and gave a light grin. "I haven't seen Natsuki this uneasy since the first time I invited her over to a sleepover." Her grin widened as bits of the memory came to her mind for a few seconds.

The girl in question gave her a soft look as she seemly switched the weight on her legs and stuck her hands in her pockets again. "And I've never seen you this anxious since… ever." She stated softly, keeping her eyes on Shizuru's.

The burgundy eyes slowly returned the soft look. Deep inside those wine-red pools however, was worry. This brought more concern into Natsuki, especially when Shizuru chose not to respond and opened the door.

Inside was a widely-spaced office. All the typical necessities of an office space were present within it; filing cabinets, a tall and completely filled bookcase, inspection and award certificates were framed and hung, a small conference table was set at the front of the room while a huge desk was in the back.

The desk too contained all the elements required of it; plenty of pens and fine permanent markers, its own little collection of file folders, a large desktop computer complete with keyboard, printer and fax machine close to it, a large leather chair and finally, its occupant: a woman whose hair was a darker shade of chestnut and placed up in a bun while the hair that framed her face was left down, wearing a casual business suit, a small pair of reading glasses on her nose and a pair of dark scarlet eyes looking over them to the door.

"Mother, may I intrude?" Shizuru asked politely through part-way-opened door.

The woman dropped the pen she had been using a moment ago and laced her fingers together on the desk. "Certainly Shizuru." Her voice was deep and plain.

Shizuru nodded at the man near the desk as she stepped completely through the doorway. "Hello Uncle."

The tall, well-proportioned, brown-eyed, charcoal-haired and bearded man nodded his head silently in return - his usual response to greetings.

"Am I correct in assuming that you are here to introduce that girl to us?" Her mother asked in a simple tone but seemed to have a knowing glint in her eye, something that Shizuru had expected. The woman's dark eyes sharply cast themselves to the girl that edged through the doorway behind her daughter.

"Yes." Shizuru answered simply as she gestured towards Natsuki. "This is Kuga Natsuki, a dear friend of mine from Fuuka Academy." She kept her eyes sternly on her mother's. "I have invited her to stay for the week."

Her mother's eyebrows rose as though both surprised and intrigued. She turned to her brother-in-law, who seemed to give her a warning look in return, something that didn't go unnoticed by the other two girls.

Her mother's eyes dropped to her desk as she sighed and placed her glasses on the papers in front of her. "I see." The dark eyes rose to Natsuki's. After a few seconds of expressionless features, she gave the girl a calm smile. "Well, I do hope you enjoy your stay here."

Natsuki blinked; was that it? After quickly composing herself, she gave a respectful bow. "Thank you; I plan to." With her head still slightly lowered, she peered over to Shizuru. The other girl looked back at her over her shoulder and held a small smile, though what brought some concern to Natsuki was the fact that the hint of worry in her eyes still remained embedded deep within the maroon orbs.

Shizuru's mother nodded at Natsuki then slowly turned to her daughter. "Shizuru, may I have a word with you for a moment?"

Her voice was calm, but Shizuru could see the intense look in her mother's eyes. The smile faded. "Of course, mother." The smile only returned when she turned back to Natsuki, who looked unsure as to what to do. "Natsuki, would you be kind enough to wait outside for me?" She asked softly.

The other girl looked at her for a moment, trying to detect some emotion from the other girl's eyes. However, Shizuru gave her the closed-eye smile, cutting off all pathways to discovering what Natsuki had been searching for. "Sure." Her voice was softer than Shizuru's had been, though as she went to close the door behind her, she spared Shizuru one last look only to see that her friend's attention was turned back to her mother.

Once the 'click' of a closing door was heard, there was silence as Shizuru's mother shifted in her seat somewhat before lacing her fingers back together again. She looked at her daughter sternly, noting that her daughter's face was expressionless. "Isn't it a bit of an odd time to be inviting friends over, Shizuru?"

Shizuru knew that that would be the reply she would get in inviting a person over. Feeling the intense gazes of both her mother and uncle, her eyes averted slightly from both. Not in fear, but disappointment.

At his niece's silence, her uncle spoke in his hard tone. "You have much more serious matters to attend to than friends."

"She does not know of the situation yet, but I have invited her to help me through these matters that you have placed me into." Shizuru abruptly spoke up as she turned to him a beat after her uncle had finished. She gave him the stern look that her mother had passed down to her.

He kept his gaze intently on hers. "We did not place you in these matters, but rather you placed yourself into them. I take it that your opinion on the affairs of Fujino Industries has not changed?" Silence was his answer. He sighed disappointedly. "I see. How unfortunate. Knowing that the events that we had planned for you are still going to be carried out, I suggest that you tell that girl to return to where she came from; it will only make the matters more complicated." He stated in his hard tone as if expecting his niece to obediently oblige.

Stunned at her own uncle's words, she looked over to her mother for any kind of support. Unfortunately, her eyes were not upon her daughter's but on her desk as though oblivious to her brother-in-law's words; Shizuru reviled that most about her. She really was an understanding woman when she would speak to her daughter alone. But, when others of the family were there to watch and inform Shizuru of her duties as the heir of the Fujino heritage, she would always stay silent and oblivious.

Shizuru's gaze swept to her uncle's and slowly became extraordinarily hard on his. She slowly straightened her posture as though she were a wall that could never be demolished. The hands that she clasped together in front of her tightened around each other, making some parts of the flesh turn white.

"I'm sorry, but I refuse to do that."

Her uncles eyes widened, as did her mother's, but she didn't let that make her nervous in the least; this was about Natsuki… her best friend, Natsuki, and she was _not_ going to let people, even if they were her own family, take control over what she had the right to do with her.

"I will take full responsibility for what Natsuki does during her stay here, but by _no_ means whatsoever will I tell her to leave. I intend to have her stay here no matter what awkwardness it might present for you." Her head gave a light bow, though the hardness in her eyes never left as tendrils of hair fell over her shoulders. "I _do_ hope you understand." Although her voiced still maintained some of its softness, her words were laced with steel.

Her mother and uncle looked at each other again; her mother showed a delicate surprise in her eyes while her uncle utilized subtle contempt for the way that his own niece was speaking to him. He averted his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. "If your mother agrees…" She uttered his implication that he would do the same.

Her mother looked back at her; Shizuru could see concern in her eyes, but her mother remained stolid and slowly nodded. "She may stay."

8

As promised, Natsuki stood outside, leaning against the wall near the door with her arms folded behind her head. She couldn't hear what was going on behind that door, though her emerald eyes couldn't help but sweep over to it every few seconds. 'Why would she be so worried? She looked as though she were about to take a path she wasn't willing to go down. It's just so not like her, and it's only her uncle and mother! I just don't understand it.' Slightly agitated by her thoughts, she let the tip of her toe tap against the floor.

After a few seconds, she released a sigh, trying to nullify the emotions she felt. A small smile came to her face. 'This is the first time in a long time that I actually felt concerned over her. The last time was during the last couple of weeks I had with her after school ended and before she had to go to her university.' Natsuki let her mind dig a little deeper during her wait. Her eyes evidently became fascinated with the elaborately stitched carpeting.

'Since the incident with the HiME festival, Shizuru apparently chose to be a little more… open with me. I actually enjoyed that; I originally thought that I wouldn't, that she would be a little too open with me at times since she's all-too-often forward to me. In fact, when I became used to her newly found nature at the time, I often found myself being open to her as well. Of course I was still rather selective about what I would say, but she still seemed to be happy with that nonetheless, perhaps happier even.' Natsuki quirked an eyebrow. 'Heh, must be why I'm acting this way now. Having said so much to her and her so much to me, I guess it's hard not to worry when she's not being as open with me now.

'Gods, I was a real piece of work before I met her.' She ran her palm over her nape as she gave the sweatdrop-like expression. 'Hard to understand how anyone could turn me from the brass girl I used to be to the person I am now…'

88 ( Flashback ) 88

The refreshing breeze in the air didn't help the negative air around Natsuki. She watched as the soft wind caressed the field of pink flowers in waves as the sun highlighted their petals and the long blades of grass surrounding them.

Hardly anybody came to the white gazebo that was mere feet away from her. She figured it was either because they found themselves becoming bored if they stayed there for too long, or just simply because Natsuki the defiant-faced rebel-girl was there and would rather not come just to be condescendingly brushed off by her.

She leaned closer to the second theory than the first; it wouldn't surprise her. She wasn't bothered by it either, as she liked to be alone and not have to hear the mindless chit-chat of her schoolmates. Right now, it wasn't her classmates that irritated her; the bright and happy light that these flowers shined infuriated her.

She hated flowers, especially the ones that she locked her eyes onto at this moment. She hated how they would bloom and shine so beautifully with hardly any effort. It felt as though the flowers were laughing in her face and saying "Look how perfect I am compared to you. Look at how much I've shined in my life compared to you."

Natsuki grit her teeth; so what if she had absolutely nothing and no one in her life; no real home, no family, no friends, no one whom she loves and loves her in return? She didn't care for any of that anyway as it seems to be just a giant waste of time. She could get through life just fine and not have to shine so brilliantly like these flowers did. She didn't need it… she didn't need any of it.

In her growing anger, she acted out the urge that slowly engulfed her and reached out. She enveloped one of the more perfectly bloomed flowers with her fingers, feeling its soft petals brushed against her skin. This angered her more, so thus her grip slowly tightened…

"Please, you shouldn't do that." Came a soft voice behind her. She recognized it somewhat, but couldn't put her finger on it. She slowly let go of the flower as she turned to see her upperclassman. Seeing the deep crimson eyes and flowing tawny hair, as well as seeing the attire that was typical of the class president to wear, spurred a name in her head but couldn't fully grasp it as she never really cared about school affairs.

"Beautiful flowers should be loved and cared for as they try their best to bloom during their short lives." She spoke again, the Kyoto-ben accent becoming evident. The older girl gave a soft smile; for a second, Natsuki didn't believe that she was actually speaking to and even _smiling_ at her, but then she looked around to find that they were the only two in the schoolyard.

Natsuki looked back at her, both surprised and confused that the other girl's smile had not changed at all. What is it about this girl? "Is sneaking up behind people and pestering them your hobby or something?"

The other girl's smiled only brightened more as though the comment excited her; the opposite effect of what Natsuki had hoped. "It can be, but only for those that I am interested in meeting." She tilted her head slightly. "May I know your name?"

Natsuki didn't like her sweet tone. Her brows furrowed suspiciously as she looked at the slightly taller girl for a few more seconds as if she was trying to detect insincerity. There was something about her features that made it rather difficult to identify properly. With a scoff, she turned to leave. "I don't think there's a point in telling you my name when there'd never be a reason for you to address me after this."

Taking a few steps to following her, the fair-haired girl smiled. "On the contrary, I'd like to have many reasons to address you."

Stopping her steps, Natsuki turned to look at her oddly before turning back again. "Okay, then I'm definitely not telling you." She defiantly resumed her walk.

The other girl only laughed as she hurried her pace to step in front of the sapphire-haired girl, stopping her. "You're so mean. I only mean to spend more time with you." She held her hands behind her back, her grin becoming a soft smile. "I've seen you walking around the schoolyards and while classes were in session or not, you were always alone." At Natsuki's silence, she continued. "If it makes me your first friend, I would be honored."

Noticing how her features brightened as she said that, Natsuki just looked at her emotionlessly. Normally, she hated people like her, people who butted into other peoples business for no real reason at all. However, her words made her stop and think; nobody ever used the words "your", "friend" and "honored" to her in the same sentence. Natsuki sighed as her eyes averted the other girl's.

"Kuga Natsuki." Her voice was hardly audible but the fair-haired girl heard her just fine, her widening smile proved that.

The other girl closed her eyes and smiled brightly. "Fujino Shizuru. It's nice to meet you, Natsuki."

'Fujino Shizuru…? Great, I just _had_ to make acquaintances with the rich student council president that has her own fan club.' Natsuki immediately kicked herself for getting into this. She found another reason why she hated people like Shizuru so much; the way she looked and acted around people made her seem like the flowers Natsuki loathed so much. Shizuru had popularity, authority, opulence, eloquence… beauty… Like the flowers, it felt as though her visage voiced out "look how perfect I am compared to you."

At that thought, Natsuki's gaze on her became suspicious. "Why do you want to waste your time with someone like me?" She asked in a low tone.

Burgundy eyes looked at her with some sort of strange curiosity. "Someone like you? What makes Natsuki different from me?" Her tone was soft and honest, like her eyes.

Natsuki pulled back in slight surprise before going back to her normal expression. She was kind of interesting, a little dense… and weird with her somewhat perky attitude, as well as strange, but not in a bad way, at least not yet.

"I thought you'd figure that out by now," Natsuki stated bluntly as she crossed her arms over her stomach. "But since you're so _willing_ to spend time with me, I think I'll just wait until you do." She walked around the taller girl, hoping that she wouldn't follow.

"I may not know much about you now, Natsuki, but I can already see that you have many traits which make you very much worth getting to know. That is why I know that my efforts to know you will not be in vain."

Natsuki stopped short as she heard this. She didn't believe it at first, she almost didn't want to either; she would never forgive anyone who might play with her mind using sweet words such as Shizuru's. However, as much as she didn't want to admit it, she could hear the sincerity in the other girl's words. She became curious as to how far this new relationship with this upperclassman would go. So, like a mental shrug, she allowed herself to give it a try. "If you say so, sweet-talker."…

88 ( EndFlashback ) 88

Hearing the 'click' of the door opening, Natsuki was jerked out of her reverie to the girl that stepped out of the doorway. The azure-haired girl turned to lean her shoulder against the wall. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" She commented as though she thought nothing of it.

The other girl hadn't looked up at her friend yet, but when she did, she seemed to be taking her time in speaking. Her eyes no longer held worry, Natsuki noticed, but something else which she had trouble deciphering. Shizuru looked as though she was contemplating something in her head but could not find an auspicious solution. All Natsuki knew was that whatever Shizuru was analyzing in her head had to do with Natsuki herself, as Shizuru's maroon eyes never left hers as both girls remained silent.

When the sapphire-haired girl took a step towards her and opened her mouth to ask about her behavior, Shizuru's hand left the doorknob and grasped Natsuki's own again. The younger girl noticed that Shizuru's uncertain expression somehow evolved into her usual pleasant smile. "I haven't shown you around the estate yet, have I?" She asked as though it were a sudden realization.

Before Natsuki could protest, she felt the grip on her hand tighten slightly and was soon led downstairs and towards the grounds surrounded the massive home. Yet again, Natsuki found herself to be a little annoyed by the way the fair-haired girl was acting. She seemed to be fine in the gardens, so what made her change?

Natsuki snuck another look at the other girl's face; she took on a calm yet determined appearance, like she had more on her mind than just showing the younger girl around.

'Okay, what the hell is going on?'

88888888888888888888888

Well, the new update of having no review responses is going to be an interesting change since I'm so used to doing it every chapter. The next couple of chapters should be interesting though I'll try to pin the next chapter up as soon as I can since I'll be working on 'My Way' for a few days it won't take 'a few days' to complete, of course, but…. I don't want to leave you on a cliffhanger here so I'll be trying to gather some more ideas for the next chapter since my notes has a few holes in it, I believe.

I feel like I wrecked Natsuki's character when she's going up to meet the 'guardians' and when she's waiting outside. I'm trying to have Natsuki show a little more maturity since she _is_ a little older since Mai-HiME after all. So I hope it was still believable for you :)

I hope I did alright with Shizuru's character as well. I really think of her as a fearless character and I know I showed her as being and acting small in front of her mother and uncle, but that's why I made sure that I ended the scene with her being bold and fearless when underestimated :)


	5. The Hidden Secrets

The flashback has been added :) hope ya like

Chapter 5: The Hidden Secrets

'… Engaged… Engaged…'

The word echoed in Natsuki's head as she stood stiffly in front of the woman who had just pulled her all the way to the back of the house to tell her a bit of news that she had apparently 'forgotten' to mention. Natsuki had to tug on her arm a few times to try and actually make her stop the pointless walking, though it didn't really help much as Shizuru seemed quite determined. Now, Shizuru stood before her with the faintest of smiles on her face.

Natsuki was just trying to bring out the right words to say, or _any_ words for that matter. Her friend's statement had just flipped her mind so suddenly that she was having trouble bringing new thoughts in. "So,… erm," She started, averting her eyes as she was unable to lay them back onto the others that were so unwaveringly upon her. "You're… getting engaged?" As she spoke, her tone seemed to become more serious, as though trying to recollect herself for a reason that was unknown to her.

"Within a month's time, I will be." Shizuru's posture was stoic, but the look in here eyes made it seem as though several different thoughts were running through her head. The tawny-haired girl silently turned to seat herself on the stone bench in the middle of their huge garden-like yard. Natsuki remained silent, and Shizuru could see what she was thinking. "The reason I didn't tell you before was because I feared you would think that my new status would get in the way of enjoying our being together this week."

'Wouldn't it?' Natsuki wondered, looking down for a brief moment. 'I mean, it's a hell of a lot to simply say "I'm engaged" to someone you were about to spend a week with. Wouldn't it make things.. awkward?' She inwardly quirked an eyebrow. 'But then again, I guess it's just like Shizuru to act as if things don't and won't faze her.' After pausing for a few seconds to keep her eyes on the girl next to her, she crossed her arms and switched the weight onto her other leg; she was going to make her pay for springing things on her like that. "So the bottom line is that you tricked me into coming." She stated bluntly, her eyes so focused onto crimson ones that you would think she was trying to stare her down.

In a split-second's time, the wine-red eyes looked away then back to Natsuki's, as though the jade eyes were too intense for her. "I wish you wouldn't say it like that Natsuki." She put on a smile that was supposed to look reassuring but seemed all too cheerful for the moment. "I just simply wanted you with me." The smile stayed until she saw the disappointment slowly rise onto the other girl's soft face. She hated that look, always did, especially when it came from Natsuki. Her eyes fell from the girl in front her to the healthy grass beneath her, fingertips pressed into the hard surface of the bench. "Kanina Natsuki, forgive me. I just feared that you wouldn't want to come, that you knew you would be uncomfortable."

Natsuki was silent as her eyes looked away to the edge of the forest nearby. She let out a large sigh as she unfolded her arms, placed her hands in her pockets and closed her eyes, feeling a need to say what she felt she should say. "I'm sure it'll be awkward for me, to spend time with your parents, and all the while knowing that you going to be married to someone," She raised an eyebrow at the newly realized ideas: she hadn't thought of how she would deal with either until now; how she should handle it.

"But if you had just said, "I'm getting engaged and I would like you with me", I would've come for you." Natsuki opened her eyes and looked back at Shizuru to find the same crimson eyes now on her as well. A smile slowly formed onto her friend's face, making a chain reaction onto Natsuki. There was a small, almost awkward silence until Natsuki shrugged. "Of course some begging might've been required as well.."

Shizuru's smile turned into a grin. "And I would have done so to the best of my ability."

The incredulous eye returned except it held a bit of amusement in it this time. "I've never seen you beg."

As she tried to turn her smirk – caused by Natsuki's comment – into a normal smile, Shizuru gracefully lifted herself from the bench and made sure Natsuki's eyes were locked onto her own. "I would do anything for Natsuki."

Natsuki noticed the purposefully deep voice and intense eyes that Shizuru laid on her. The voice was what made her blush slightly. The eyes were what made her look to the side. "Flattering." She muttered, thinking it was the only word she could find before adding, "Thanks" seconds later.

Shizuru shook her head. "Oh no. Thank _you_." She added softly though her tone wasn't as deep this time but gentle.

The younger girl cleared her throat quickly before recollecting the courage to look back up. "Anytime." She glanced up several times, noticing that Shizuru's smile never changed.

Shizuru let the silence pass, enjoying the looks and expressions on her friend's face that made her look like she was fumbling for words in her head. What made this so adorable to look at was that this was how a few of her more timid suitors would act while they were out together. She was sure they would be thinking something along the lines of: 'What should I say?' 'What does she want me to do?' 'Should I hold her hand?' 'Does she want me to kiss her?'

Of course, she knew Natsuki wasn't thinking those things (although she had hoped she would someday), but she knew Natsuki was in a similar situation since it was quite obvious to her why she was acting this way: it was very rare for Natsuki, the rebel-girl of school who once thought there was no need to have friends, to talk the way that she had mere seconds ago; so sincerely, so gently.. so comfortingly.

The tawny-haired girl was about to give her friend a break from her most likely rapid thoughts but was a bit surprised when Natsuki finally spoke up first.

"So," She started with a sigh and slipping her hands into her pockets. "Is your.." – she cleared her throat – "fiancée here with you?" She hoped she would hear a "No" but tried to remain impassive; the only time she would agree to spend time with a guy was when it was _absolutely_ necessary.

There was a slight pause. "He's supposedly coming in around three days." Shizuru stated simply, though there was a sort of dullness in her tone.

Natsuki sighed again but this time out of a growing agitation to the news. "Great." She smiled humorlessly. "So I guess this means I eventually have to meet him?"

"It would make sense to do so since I'm going to be spending my time with the both of you." She spoke in her logical tone.

Natsuki looked at her for a moment with a kind of perplexity in her eye. "Wouldn't that be awkward for all three of us, for you to spend time with me during his stay here? Not to mention that while you're off with him, I'll stay up in the mansion of yours while I wait for you?" She could already feel that those days in the house would be boring as hell for her though she wouldn't say it out loud.

Shizuru looked at her for a long moment. Or maybe it just seemed long since all that could be heard was the wind rustling through the trees around them. Shizuru kept her smile as she reached for Natsuki's hand. "Come with me." Her voice was so soft that it could almost be described as a murmur as her fingers wrapped around Natsuki's hand.

Though a little surprised, Natsuki let herself be pulled by Shizuru's guiding hand, which held onto her a little more gently than she had before when she had led her from her mother's office to where they had just stood. Her stride wasn't as urgent as it had been as well.

This calmed Natsuki at least a little, but she still hadn't finished. "You didn't answer my question, Shizuru." She noted flatly. Noticing that Shizuru was leading her towards the forest, Natsuki quirked an eyebrow, puzzled.

"I know." Shizuru replied quickly but brightly as though she was excited about something.

"Are you planning to?" Natsuki wasn't sure why her heart sped up as they passed through the first row of tall trees that marked the edge of the forest.

"Of course I am." The tone remained the same, making her even more nervous. What was this girl planning now?

88

The light of the setting sun dripped lazily through parted leaves onto the blades of tall grass, reflecting off the sifting brooks and creeks, highlighting the petals of scattered wildflowers, and both warming Natsuki's face and gleaming in her eyes. This tranquil atmosphere did not help the cobalt-haired girl's mood, however. In fact, she found herself becoming more and more unsettled and almost annoyingly perplexed as she continued to let herself be guided by Shizuru's hand.

Natsuki noticed that this woman (whose almost self-exulting visage had yet to fade from her face) had either forgotten or refused to let Natsuki's hand slip from her own. The younger girl knew she could always remind Shizuru or just take her hand back, like she had done _most_ of the several times the fair-haired girl had repeated this gesture in their younger years. But, instead, she just simply let out a silent 'why bother?'-like sigh, like she had done for _most_ of the rest of the times that she decided to humor the upperclassman.

The only thing that kept her from turning back was that she was actually genuinely curious of what Shizuru was planning to show her.

"We getting closer to the end of this?" Natsuki asked quickly in a dull, flat tone.

"Almost." Shizuru responded, not at all bothered by Natsuki's tone or the length of time their walk was taking. "It's just underneath that bridge." She pointed out towards a large wooden bridge that had a wide stream passing under it.

"You just wanted to show me a creek?" Natsuki lifted an eyebrow at the area ahead of them. "I always knew you were a little weird, especially when I first met you, but…" She stopped as she heard Shizuru break into a laugh.

"No, no. That isn't it." Placing a hand over her mouth as her light giggles softened. "I've just been saving something for you. I hid it under the bridge." At the confused look on Natsuki's face, she added, "You'll see."

Coming to the edge of the stream, Natsuki noticed that the gap between the bottom of the bridge and the water's surface was fairly large considering this was in the middle of a forest. It looked as though the creek had been dug so that it was a little less than five feet from the elevation level of the grounds they had just walked upon. Although the river was much wider than she had originally guessed, there was a gravel-made shoreline at each side of the river. Perhaps a little over five feet from the edge of the river to the wall of rock they stood upon.

"You may go first if you wish, Natsuki." Shizuru insisted pleasantly.

Natsuki only glanced at the hand gesturing towards the shore below before she thoughtlessly jumped down onto the gravel. Her eyes snapped to the object hidden in the bridge's shadow; she already knew what it was even though it had a worn-green protective cover over it and a glimpse of two tires poking into view underneath. Her eyebrows raised in intrigue.

"Would Natsuki mind helping me down?" The light voice called in such a way that the smile could easily be seen in the mind's eye.

Again, green eyes only glanced up to confirm her theory and she smiled curtly while mentally cursing her naiveté; she should have seen this coming. "Clever, Shizuru. Very clever." Reaching up to the kneeling girl to take her waist between her hands, she complimented humorlessly. She felt Shizuru's hands grab and lean against her shoulders for support. "You always love doing this to me, don't you?" Quirking an eyebrow accusingly, she kept her eyes on the wall of rock and soil Shizuru still hadn't chosen to let her feet leave.

"Doing what to you?" Returned a seemly nonchalant voice.

Natsuki's eyebrows knit together, aggravation resurfacing, 'As if you don't know.' She didn't even want to count all the times this cunning girl tricked her into doing little things that Shizuru secretly loved. Be them gestures, words, or simple blushes.

Looking up to speak her protests, Natsuki stopped before she could even start: pale-blonde hair shined like a halo; porcelain features glowed; burgundy eyes illuminated like marble; all by the cause of the amber-tinted twilight.

Noticing those same illuminated eyes gazing back into her own with a hint of amusement growing in them, Natsuki snapped her eyes back to the wall's edge. Mentally cursing herself for letting herself stare, she healed her bruising pride by quickly muttering, "Such a child…"

After a light chuckle, Shizuru finally leaned over the rest of the way for Natsuki to swing her down onto the ground next to her. Natsuki was the first to quickly take her hands off the person she held and silently followed the other girl underneath the bridge.

In one swift move, Shizuru lifted off the cover to expose what Natsuki had expected: a motorcycle. As the cover was placed up against the wall, green eyes wondered over it, inspecting it, examining it. It was a totally different model of what Natsuki's used to be; the handlebars were higher and the seat was lower, making it the type where you'd have to lean back instead of lean forward as you sit.

It also looked as though it had live through many years. The metal was rusted and scraped in a few places; the leather seat was torn, exposing a little of the spongy cushion underneath; a side mirror was missing and the glass cover of the speedometer was cracked. Overall, the only label Natsuki could give this bike was "Tune-up Job". Those were only a few of the faults that she mentally noted as she circled it once, making sure to keep her head low to avoid bumping her head against the bridge directly above her.

"What are your thoughts on it, Natsuki?" Shizuru asked as she stood out from underneath the bridge.

The blue-haired girl leaned over it to brush off some of dust with her fingers. "It's seen better days." She responded without looking away from it. "At least it still has its kickstand."

"Do you think you can fix it?"

Green eyes circled over the bike again. Nodding with only slight uncertainty, "I might, if I had the right tools. Repairing it will be very different from repairing my own bike, but I think I remember coming across bikes like this at my old job." She stated, memories of working as an auto mechanic flashing in her head. Out of the many odd jobs, being a kind of apprentice auto mechanic was her favorite; it the only one she found peace in doing and managed to have the longest period of employment in before quitting (fired).

Remembering why she was led out here in the first place, Natsuki looked up to the other girl. "But what does this have anything to do with the days you spend time with him?" As she spoke, her puzzled expression shifted to abrupt realization. She looked at the bike then back to Shizuru, noting her expecting yet somewhat hopeful smile which told her that her guess was correct.

A smile came onto Natsuki's face as she looked down and shoved her hands in her pockets. "I see. Trying to keep me occupied, right?" Looking back up, Shizuru's smile remained, as expected. "Isn't this a form of bribery?" She asked curtly as she seated herself against the wall next to the green cover.

Smirking, Shizuru sat herself next to her with her legs tucked underneath. "Perhaps. Although I'm doing this for your benefit, not my own." She continued, "Is this fair for you, Natsuki?" She paused as the cobalt-haired girl remained silent. "…Is it not enough?" Her voice was softer that time, Natsuki noticed.

Natsuki watched as hope and perhaps a glimpse of fear crossed through those crimson eyes. She really had no idea why Shizuru would look at her that way. The looks and expressions in those eyes that had been so good at hiding her deeper feelings, the feelings that didn't want to be discovered, had opened themselves to Natsuki several times that day. That told her something; her friend truly did need her here, and that was enough to make her stay.

Jade eyes stationed themselves onto crimson as Natsuki murmured, "It's plenty."

Shizuru smiled a genuine smile. "I'm glad."

Natsuki's eyes darted away from the smile as a light blush had come across her cheeks for being given that adoring expression from the older girl. To occupy her eyes, they went back to the bike in front of her and its battered state. "It may actually be more than plenty. I don't know if I'll be able to completely fix it before I leave."

Shizuru was silent for a moment then suddenly chuckled, her eyes on the gravel around her feet. "I remember walking to the academy one day and saw you fixing your motorcycle underneath a tree on a street corner. You didn't show up at school for the entire day, from what I can remember. When the day had finally ended, I was walking back home and you were in the same spot, still fixing your motorcycle." Her eyes drifted back to Natsuki, the fond memory still replaying in her head. "If you take an entire school day to fix your motorcycle, I'm sure you'll be able to fix it during the week when I'm not able to be with you."

Natsuki paused, remembering that day which was maybe a week or two after they first met. Trying not to be too caught up by it, she finally spoke. "Yeah, I think I can be able to do it." She took the protective cover and laid it back over the somewhat decrepit bike. "I won't start on it until he comes though, and I'll only work on it when you're with him." She asserted flatly.

There was a two-second pause and Natsuki realized her mistake; she could almost hear the suggestive smile appearing from the person behind her. "Does Natsuki find me more exciting than her motorcycles?" Came the voice that mimicked the smile.

Eyebrows knitting together, Natsuki ignored the question and quickly changed the subject. "Do you have any tools to lend me?"

There was another two-second pause. "I will make sure to collect the few that we have for you." Her answer was more reserved this time, luckily.

"Why is it all the way out here?" Natsuki asked as she finished covering it.

"It's an antique. Mother was going to dispose it, so I moved it before she could do anything with it. My father rode on it frequently before he—before he died."

Natsuki just turned and looked at her for a few seconds, not knowing exactly what to say besides an "Oh" and asked her when he passed.

Shizuru looked down to the gravel as a sad smile flashed on her face. "He died four years ago." She stated lightly, her eyes going back to the bike as if all the memories of him starting up its engine flashed in front of her.

Wordlessly, green eyes laid upon the older girl, 'only a year after she graduated…' Pausing, Natsuki's eyes drifted back to the covered bike. "Oh" she said again then added an awkwardly-muttered "Sorry…" shortly after.

Shizuru smiled again but this time with less sadness. "It's something I try not to dwell on, so Natsuki mustn't dwell on it either." Stating softly, she pushed herself from the wall and stood herself up. "We should return home, dinner should be ready soon." She advised while brushing off the gravel and leaves that clung to her clothes.

The cobalt-haired girl nodded, silently following the other girl back to the wall. Grabbing the edge, she pulled herself back up and brushed her hands as she stood before hearing a light "_Ahem_" behind her. Not even needing to turn, her shoulders fell and she sighed. "Why did you bring that bike all the way down there if you can't even get over the wall?"

"I simply walked around it." Shizuru stated as her hands wrapped around Natsuki's and let herself be lifted her up until her feet touched the edge.

Natsuki rolled her eyes, thinking there would have most likely been several easier solutions or better places to put a bike. She remained silent for the rest of the walk until they came to the back door of the house. "Would Natsuki like to unpack before or after dinner?" Shizuru asked lightly she opened the door for them.

Natsuki thought for a minute as she stepped inside and let Shizuru lead the way. "I'll probably just do half before and half after, I don't want to look so travel worn at your parent's dinner table."

A slightly surprised yet amused look snapped onto Natsuki's face. "How funny, I always thought Natsuki never cared about what people thought of her. Even if it's just according to appearance." Shizuru smiled at the younger girl's defensive expression on her face.

"I _don't_ care when it comes to strangers who don't know me." Natsuki assured. "But I sometimes _do_ care when it comes to people that I'm about to meet, especially when it comes to your parents. I mean, I don't want to shake people's hands while my hair's disheveled and everything." Her eyes followed the creases of the wooden floors as she spoke, knowing that if she looked up her eyes would only find the burgundy ones upon her and would have difficulty speaking coherently; that was just the kinds of things those eyes could do to you.

"Ah, I see." Shizuru finally looked away. "Then I'll leave Natsuki to her unpacking. I'll come when dinner's ready and show you to the dining room." She turned when they came to a flight of stairs.

"Fine." Natsuki responded flatly as they stopped at a door a small distance from the top of the staircase. Shizuru opened it and stood aside for the younger girl to go in first. Smiling weakly, Natsuki stepped in and tried not to act too surprised by its size. 'I could almost fit my entire apartment inside this…' She thought as her eyes wondered over it, finding her duffle bag laying on a futon the size of a Full-sized bed in the back of the room to the right-hand wall.

A large, embellished rug laid in the gap between the futon and the dresser opposite it. To the right of the futon and to the right wall adjacent it were a pair of windows next to each other. More trees, landscapes and even a few mountains could be seen from the adjacent-wall windows. The windows next to the bed looked out along the side of the house to another window of a room and the side of the roof could be seen two feet beneath the window sill.

"I hope it is to Natsuki's liking." Came the voice from the door.

The girl in question took a few seconds to respond then quickly brought out whatever she could bring into her head. "It's fine. Perfect." "Where's the bathroom?" She asked while looking out the window.

Shizuru, still standing in the doorway, point to her left, away from the stairs. "Go this way, turn down the first hallway and you'll find it behind the second door on your right. The towel pantry is in there as well." She placed her hand on the door. "Is there anything else you need from me, Natsuki?"

Natsuki caught the playful smile the tawny-haired girl gave. Ignoring it, she went to unzip her duffle bag for the purpose of occupying herself. She kept her quick and blunt tone, "No."

After a simple nod, the other girl responded in her cheerful voice, "Then, I will return shortly" and closed the door behind her.

Three seconds after she left, Natsuki closed her eyes and sighed—whatever forces that brought the two of them together had a very strange sense of humor.

Not bothering to sort and arrange until later, she tossed all her shirts, pants, underwear (lingerie) and socks onto the bed and dropped the duffle bag next to the bed. All other objects and items concerning hygiene were placed onto the top of the dresser in front of the mirror. Still too lazy to go through the heap of clothes just yet, she quickly brushed her hair for the dinner then flopped herself onto the bed next to it and let the muscles of her back and legs relax and her thoughts stray to the day.

Shizuru still seemed more or less the same, Natsuki noted, but she still had a strong feeling that Shizuru was hiding other things from her. The way Shizuru looked when she finally told her she was getting engaged bothered Natsuki somewhat; there was a bit of happiness but not a lot of excitement in her eyes, like she didn't desire this.

Natsuki lifted her green eyes to the ceiling as she placed her hands behind her head. 'Why wouldn't she want it though?' She wondered. 'I would think that every girl would want to get married eventually.' Distaste flickered across her face. 'Besides me, that is. There's no way I'm going to lose my independence and freedom to some _guy_, even if I _did_ have feelings for him.' After realizing how alike she was to Nao by those words, she stopped that train of thought and went back to Shizuru.

'What would stop her from wanting it?' Her mind reeled for some possibilities then stopped at one of the first ones that came to her; her heart slowly sunk at the thought. '… still has feelings for me…?' Her gaze on the ceiling softened as guilt rose within her. 'If that was the case, which it may be, I wish it would stop; it makes me feel like I'm holding her back from doing things that would be better for her.'

After a few seconds of silence in her head and more guilt swelling up within her, she closed her eyes and lightly shook her head, trying to free herself from the thoughts. 'But there could be many things that could change her mood about it besides that.' She forced herself to think. 'Perhaps she _is_ happy but has been tense and restless about it; arranging the plans for it and preparing herself for not just his arrival here but just getting married altogether.'

Natsuki absentmindedly nodded, feeling a little more alleviated. 'Or maybe her father's death is what's making her still seem a little depressed. I don't blame her; I know very well what it's like to lose a parent.' She felt herself becoming a little morose at the horrid memories of her own past, which always clung to her like bloodthirsty leeches. But since the end of her own graduation from the academy, she refused to let them control her emotions like they had done several times before, long ago. 'At least he died of natural… then again, I don't remember asking her how he died. I'll have to do that later.' She decided before she carried on with more possibilities.

'Maybe she's getting married to someone she doesn't think she loves enough to call him her husband, or someone she's being pressured into marrying, like an… an…' Natsuki's eyes widened then furrowed in perplexity. "An arranged marriage?" She whispered into the room. Her eyes darted across the ceiling, her mind reeling even more than before. 'It's definitely a possibility, knowing how traditional her family is… but would they, would _she_, really go that far no matter what the reason may be? It just doesn't seem like her to willingly let herself be-'

Natsuki jumped as a _'click-creak!'_ from the front of the room abruptly broke the silence and noticed the door open in the corner of her eye. With a hand over her chest to try and settle her rapidly beating heart and steady her breathing, she heard light footsteps and a low yet light chuckle.

Natsuki's brow twitched. "You know," she started, breathing in again. "I would've figured that perhaps by now you might've learned to knock." She looked up to the smirking girl who leaned against the edge of the opened door, arms folded over her chest and head tilted slightly to one side.

"Natsuki, as I told you before, the few times that I walked in on you in the school locker room or in the bathroom were entirely accidental."

Her head flopped back onto the bed as her jade eyes narrowed. 'Yeah, right. _Entirely accidental_ my ass.' Natsuki was about to bring herself back up when she found that the fair-haired girl had soundlessly yet surely elegantly stepped closer to her at the side of the bed. Natsuki found herself to be immobile. Frozen. The way Shizuru looked down at her with a gentle fondness or thoughtfulness made it difficult to actually find her ability to _think_, much less a reason to _move_. Discomfort rapidly growing by the lack of conversation and dragging seconds, Natsuki was about to ask what Shizuru was looking at until said person's voice broke in.

"I see your unpacking hasn't progressed very far." Shizuru noted as, only for a second, her gaze flicked towards the mound of clothes next to the younger girl.

Natsuki glanced over to the said pile. "Yeah, well, I told you I would only do half of it."

"_This_ is half?" Shizuru asked, surprised as now her eyes laid fully on the clothes.

Natsuki scratched the back of her head. "Well, no. _This_ is _all_."

"Would Natsuki like me to help her later?"

Natsuki looked at her for a long moment as though suspicious. 'As long as she isn't helping just so that she can have the chance to take good long looks at my underwear…' "Sure, I suppose."

"Good." Shizuru moved to hold her hands together in front of her. "Dinner's ready, so whenever Natsuki's--"

"I'm ready." Natsuki interrupted as she swung her legs off the bed and waited for Shizuru to lead the way.

888

Forty-five minutes later, Natsuki and Shizuru entered her room again. The younger quietly sighed. After not having a meal since that morning, Natsuki was grateful to be given one that also proved to be the most decent meal she'd had in ages.

The interaction she had with her mother and uncle during the dinner itself was the most exhausting and tensing part of it; the conversation would shift from the mother and uncle just talking to Shizuru and completely ignoring Natsuki; to the mother suddenly asking Natsuki personal questions such as what types of jobs she had done, who she was dating, what college she was studying at, how her and Shizuru met, etc; finally, all was left in complete and awkward silence for the rest of the meal. Never in her life had she felt so much anxiety such from sitting in front of three people.

"Natsuki, is something wrong?" Shizuru asked after she noted that Natsuki had been standing motionlessly in the same place as if she was lost in thought. "You seem a little bothered."

Natsuki looked up at her and shook her head as she walked back to the pile or clothes and began to sort. "No. Just the dinner has left me a little… winded, I suppose."

Shizuru smiled as though humored. "I know. My uncle and mother can seem a little intimidating at times." She made her way next to Natuski and began to pick at the clothes as well. Noticing how so many of them were wrinkled and inside-out, she took the task of folding them for her.

After handing her two shirts and a pair of pants to Natsuki for her to put away, Shizuru let the pleased and amused smile graze her lips as she saw a _very_ familiar item: a navy, lightly-padded, demi-style bra. She snuck a peek at the tag on the inside. Her eyebrows raised with intrigue, "My, they haven't grown at all since I last went shopping with you."

Without a word, the bra was snatched from her hands and she turned to see Natsuki glare at her as the cobalt-haired girl grumbled to herself while roughly stuffing it in a drawer with her other undergarments. Shizuru laughed as she turned to continue folding.

"Shizuru?" The lower voice called from the dresser after a few minutes of motionless silence on her part.

"Yes?" Shizuru didn't turn around though her tone was light as she continued her task.

"Is…" Natsuki paused, as if beginning to have second thoughts on asking. She forced herself to continue, as her curiosity was far greater than her cowardice. "Your engagement, is it… planned?"

Shizuru then stopped and turned to look at her inquisitively. "Planned?" She looked as though she had no idea what Natsuki was talking about. "Perhaps you mean the wedding event itself." She continued folding the pair of jeans in her hand and laid them on the other folded pairs of pants.

"No, I mean the engagement." Natsuki's tone was blunt this time as she turned fully to Shizuru, her arms crossed and her footing firm on the ground as though she was standing up against a bully. "Is your marriage arranged?" Shizuru didn't turn, didn't move, and didn't answer. That was all Natsuki needed. "Have you even met this guy? The man you're supposed to marry? Do you even know his name? Do you even have any say in this at all—!"

"Natsuki." Shizuru's voice was a breathy pleading sound as she heard the anger rise in her friend's voice. She knew Natsuki would've most likely reacted this way, and she thought she would react the same way she always had to the other students of Fuuka; pleasantly impassive, imperturbable, always backing her notions with positive comments. The tawny-haired girl soon realized – as she knew she should have before – that Natsuki made things an entirely different story. This was much harder.

"What the hell has happened to you?" Natsuki's eyes were unwaveringly upon Shizuru, they were cold yet baffled. "What happened to the girl who always holds her dignity no matter what? Who gets her way no matter what other people think?"

"Don't make me sound as though I've influenced you or controlled you in some way." Shizuru's tone had not changed while her eyes were finally able to raise to the younger girl's.

Natsuki raised a skeptical eyebrow. "You have, on several occasions, and you and I _both_ know that." She stated pointedly.

Shizuru was silent, then a grin she couldn't help slowly spread across her face as she lightly shrugged. "I've never heard Natsuki protest."

"That's because you always refused to listen!" Natsuki sighed, ignoring the smile on Shizuru's face that refused to fade even after she yelled at her. Realizing they were getting off track with what she was supposed to be doing, Natsuki quickly ran her hand across her face to relief the small headache her friend caused. "But really, why are you doing such a stupid thing? It's like you're surrendering to what other people say you should do! You never surrendered to _anything_ when you were a Student Council President, not even Haruka's howling voice!"

Shizuru shook her head. "That's an entirely different matter." Her smile was gone as she stated this. "That was school. This is family; family is a little more difficult to refuse, especially in this type of a matter."

Just with that statement, Natsuki found herself effectively silenced; having had a very little personal understanding of the meaning for family values and relationships, Natsuki was left without a backing response.

Noticing her error right as she finished her sentence, Shizuru quickly but softly added "I didn't mean to-"

"I know." She looked away as she crossed her arms over her stomach, trying to make herself feel a little less uncomfortable by switching the weight on her legs.

Slightly disconcerted by Natsuki's quick and quiet response, Shizuru kept concerned eyes on her. With all her heart, Shizuru wanted to take Natuki's chin between her fingers and raise those beautiful deep green eyes to her own and look deeper in them. To see what Natuki was really thinking now. If she had seen hurt in those eyes, without a doubt, the first thing Shizuru would do was take her in her arms, stroke her back, and hold her as long as she was allowed to. She hoped she hadn't brought up painful memories for Natsuki. If she did, she'd hate herself for it and she knew it.

Shizuru noticed that Natsuki was beginning to fidget under the older girl's eyes, so she reluctantly let her be. She turned and seated herself onto the edge of the bed, hands in her lap, silent until she finally decided to break it by speaking about the subject she was more reluctant to bring up but should. "Do you know how many suitors I've entertained in the past six months?" As moderately curious eyes turned back to her, Shizuru continued, "Fourteen." She absentmindedly gave a smirk at the look of the other girl's nearly astonished expression – Natsuki didn't know whether or not if that smirk was supposed to look as mirthless as it did. "Some lasted two weeks, others lasted three days. And whether I liked them or not would always be the last reason to give for whether I should marry the suitor or not."

"What do you mean?" Natsuki didn't look as incredulous as her question had sounded, just genuinely confused by Shizuru's last sentence.

Shizuru shook her head as she tried to hide her small but amused smile beneath her locks of hair around her face. "Nevermind. It's a little difficult to explain." Crimson eyes finally raised to jade. The softness in them matched her smile. "Anyway," She started as she leaned back onto the heel of her palm. "Let's not let it get in the way. It isn't a bother to me, not really. I agreed to it anyhow."

Right then, Natsuki felt like yelling at her, to scold her for seeming so ambivalent yet careless at the same time; so succumb so easily yet act like it's not happening. However, so many words ran through her head and thus she was left to speak none of them. So she could only look at her, dumbfounded.

"Please don't hate me for this." Shizuru spoke softly, almost pleadingly, when she saw the anger flooding the other girl's eyes.

"I don't." Natsuki started as she grudgingly walked closer to the bed. "But I will, I really will, if you ever think that I'm not there for you during this little fiasco you pulled me into." She stopped right in front of Shizuru, making sure that her stern, stone-cold eyes were locked with crimson.

Shizuru looked almost confused yet astounded, then touched, then simply happy, then suddenly playful, which made Natsuki's eyes widen in fear as she knew Shizuru was about to do something. Natsuki's prediction was, of course, correct as Shizuru suddenly leaned forward, wrapped her arms around the younger girl's waist and then pulled her on top of her on the bed. Shizuru giggled. "It's been so long since I've heard Natsuki give such a declaration so passionately!"

"Shizuru!" Natsuki chided as she squirmed in her captor's arms, trying to free herself. 'She's such a little kid sometimes!' She blushed when Shizuru nuzzled her upper chest as she just happened to land a little higher over her. "I'm trying to be serious here!"

"I know." The constricting grasp eased. "And I thank you, for everything. And don't worry, Natsuki, I'll never forget all that you've done for me since the start of our years together." Shizuru's head was still imbedded in Natsuki's shirt, her chin nestled between her breasts, easy breaths caressing and warming the article of clothing. This, along with the softly-spoken words (enhanced by the addition of the Kyoto-ben accent) made Natsuki blush even more.

"G—good." Natsuki muttered after clearing her throat. She raised herself up higher on her elbows against the arms still wrapping around her and bidding her back down again. With a hand on the older girl's shoulder, the cobalt-haired girl gently nudged her away. As much as she hated to admit it, she was reluctant to break away from this girl whose closeness seemed more than just a mere hug; it felt like Shizuru was clinging to her, needing her, not sexually (hopefully), but just emotionally, and that left Natsuki even more wordless than it would if it _was_ sexual.

Natsuki's heart jumped with she looked down to Shizuru; the way her hair spread around her head and face like the halo she had seen earlier that day; the deep wine-red eyes that seemed to dart between her own jade ones. She didn't know why, but it felt like time had stopped just for them at that moment. However this moment was very short-winded when the horrific idea of someone coming in her room unannounced (perhaps to check if Natsuki was settled and accommodated with all she may need during her stay) and see their daughter/niece/ojou-sama and guest in such a position. 'They'd probably get a completely wrong idea and think I'm trying to…'

At that thought, she raised herself straight up without hesitation but tried to regard Shizuru coolly by lamely muttering something like "It's getting late."

Shizuru sat up, her eyes still never leaving the ones that had turned away from her. "Yes. It is." Her eyes then chose to drift away as she slid off the bed. "I would want Natsuki to be in her best of health when we spend the day together tomorrow." She stated while she straightened her skirt. The soft smile that played on her face as she spoke made her seem as though she was already excited and couldn't wait for the morning sun reach up over the trees and touch her windowpane.

Natsuki only nodded as she gazed out into the darkness of the aging night, rich reds painting themselves over the clouds in the horizon. "I will." She crossed her arms over her stomach as she heard Shizuru's footsteps to the door.

"Sweet dreams, Natsuki." The light, gentle voice called through the doorframe.

"Yeah." Natsuki mentally kicked herself for giving such a lame reply. 'I can do better than that!' she scolded herself before she quickly added, "You too." Natsuki glanced at Shizuru's direction only to look away when she saw the look in the other girl's eyes which matched her voice. 'It's interesting,' Natsuki thought, 'that no matter how many times I've seen that very look in Shizuru's eyes, I'm always left wordless and nervous. It never gets old. I wish I knew why.'

When she noticed that Shizuru hadn't moved at all from the doorframe a minute later, Natuki turned to her with a quirked eyebrow. "Something wrong?"

Shizuru smiled and lightly shook her head. "No. I just realized something."

"Oh yeah? What's that?"

Shizuru seemed to give her an impassive look. "I just realized the Natsuki isn't beautiful like I had imagined."

The dumbstruck look returned to Natsuki's face. 'Well, thank _you_ for your opinion, Shizuru.' Her somewhat shocked eyes fell into confusion as she saw the playful grin spread widely across the other girl's face.

The voice became husky. "Natsuki is absolutely stunning."

With that, the door finally shut with a gaping Natsuki motionlessly watching it. 'SHIZURU!'

8888(Flashback)8888

As people passed, odd looks would be given to the girl sitting in the grass and cranking away at her motorcycle with a wrench. Motor oil stained her face, hands, and parts of her uniform. Natsuki wondered why she even wore the uniform at all; she had already decided not to attend school today (like yesterday, and the day before, and the day before…).

Having sat in front of the side of the bike for the last hour and a half, she stretched her back and rolled her shoulders, dropping the wrench to crack her knuckles. The noise around her - the cars zooming past; the constant chatter and footsteps; the dull sound of music from local restaurants and bars – made her feel tranquil, which she figured others might find strange. But noise was good; it stopped her from thinking too deeply about things she didn't want to think about, things that hurt too much to relive.

There was nothing better than being in the middle of a fast-moving city where no one cared who you were and what you did, skipping another pointless and boring day at school, and spending the entire day fixing her bike. It seemed like a suitable excuse to miss school and it certainly wasn't a waste of her time, like the academy was. Her bike was her best friend; it helped relieve a lot of her stress.

Natsuki looked up towards the crowd, letting her muscles relax a little more before she continued. Her eyebrows furrowed as a girl she recognized all too well coming near her on the sidewalk, schoolbooks hugged close to the chest of council-member uniform.

'Speaking of stress…' Natsuki rolled her eyes, immediately grabbed her wrench, and hid her face beneath the gears and motors of her bike. The woman refused to leave her alone ever since they met by the flowers and gazebo. She regretted ever telling Shizuru her name.

Among the hundreds of footsteps against the concrete, Shizuru's seemed to be the loudest and Natsuki had no idea why. It was like hearing the 'click-click-click' of a grandfather clock, just waiting and anticipating the moment the minute-hand reached the next minute. Natsuki felt like she was ducking her head with each footstep she heard. 'Don't let her see me don't let her see me don't let her see me…!' Natsuki's eye peaked out from the corner of her eye and let out a breath as Shizuru passed her. 'Thank God. One more minute of her goodie-two-shoe-ness and I would've-'

"Natsuki! My, what are you doing here? You're going to be late for school."

'… shit.' Natsuki's shoulders slumped as she turned her head towards the taller girl who stood still on the sidewalk, looking at her inquisitively while other people simply walked around her. Natsuki started to tense as she came closer. "I'm not going."

"You should go, otherwise you'll be held back." Shizuru warned her as stood over the other girl kneeling in the grass. She inwardly smiled at the smudges of oil on Natsuki's forehead and cheek; this girl's adorability just seemed endless.

Natsuki turned back to her motor, placing her wrench back around the particular screw again. "I'll be fine." She stated simply.

Shizuru smirked, humored by the girl's carefree nature. She stayed silent as she watched Natsuki work, which was something that the younger girl didn't at all like and after a few tensing seconds she finally turned back to Shizuru.

"Don't you have school to go to?" She insisted.

Shizuru smirked again. "Yes, I do. Though it sounds like Natsuki is trying to get rid of me."

"What would make you think that?" Natsuki couldn't help the sarcastic tone, which actually only humored the older girl more even though she didn't answer.

"Would Natsuki mind doing something for me?" Shizuru asked in a light, inquisitive tone as she switched her weight onto her other leg and tipped her head slightly onto one side.

Natsuki looked at her somewhat suspiciously. "What's that?"

"Since you're going to be spending the entire day fixing your bike, I'm sure it will be finished by the time the school day has ended, yes?" Her tone had not changed, which made Natsuki even more suspicious.

"Y-yeah, why?"

Shizuru couldn't hold back her smile as she spoke. "I need a ride."

Natsuki looked at her incredulously before quickly turning away. "Get a taxi."

"You're much cheaper, and I'm sure a lot more fun." Shizuru's smile seemed to widen a little bit as she said the word 'fun'.

"No way. That would mean that I would have to show my face at that school." Natsuki stated gruffly, hating the thought.

Shizuru was silent for a minute. "I could sign a slip for you to miss a day."

Now, Natsuki was silent for even longer before she turned to look at her with a quirked eyebrow. "Will you sign a slip for me everyday if I promise to give you a ride from school everyday?"

"No." Shizuru's answer was plain and simple but was still amused.

Natsuki hung her head and sighed; it was better than nothing. "Fine."

"Wonderful." Shizuru had to keep herself from beaming at the thought. "I'll see you after school then."

"Yeah, fine." Natsuki mumbled as she turned back to her bike. She did about four cranks with her wrench before she realized that Shizuru hadn't left yet. She turned back to her. "Anything else?" She asked almost impatiently.

Shizuru grinned. "One more thing," Pulling out a crème-colored handkerchief, Shizuru kneeled down to Natsuki's side, took her baffled face with her hand, and lightly wiped off the oil from her face.

Natsuki found herself frozen for a few seconds under Shizuru's soft gaze and gentle strokes before she finally shook herself from Shizuru's grasp. "W-what are you doing?"

Shizuru laughed within her throat as she stood back up again and tucked the handkerchief back into her uniform coat underneath the ruffling tie. "I'm cleaning Natsuki's beautiful face." She stated pleasantly, thoroughly enjoying the blush Natsuki graced her with. She waved her fingers as she murmured her goodbye then walked back onto the path she originally took.

Natsuki just watched her retreating form, the pink shade never leaving. When Shizuru was finally out of sight, she frantically searched for the more portable form of stress relievers for her. Pulling out the packet, she shoved the cigarette between her lips and quickly lit the tip with her trusty metal lighter. She quickly took a puff and slowly exhaled the white smoke. 'Damn her!' She thought as her eyes peered back in the direction that Shizuru had left.


	6. Typical Day with You

Do not own Mai-HiME characters. Hope ya'll like the chappie :)

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Chapter 6: Typical Day with You

Thanks to Shizuru, Natsuki was left tossing and turning restlessly in her bed, trying to close her mind of everything completely. It wasn't just the way Shizuru chose to exit the night before; it also had to do with everything that had happened throughout her first day; what she should do, how she should act, what she should say, to make Shizuru feel as comforted and happy as possible.

This was unusual for Natsuki -- making Shizuru feel happy. When she was younger and had spent her first couple weeks with Shizuru, making her happy was a very dangerous thing and thus it was never intended. Natsuki had no idea what it was about her behavior that made Shizuru smile so much. In fact, she felt that the smile _itself_ meant danger; the wider it was, the more dangerous it would be. She gradually noticed that the smile Shizuru would give her was somehow different than the smiles she would give to the other students (i. e. her fanclub). The problem was, she never figured out how – that is, until she found out that Shizuru had developed romantic feelings towards her.

She often tried not to think about it; not because she didn't want to -- as it made her curious the more that time passed – but just in respect for Shizuru.

It's often best not to think of such dangerous things like love. She still didn't completely understand it and still felt that she didn't need to; after seeing what Shizuru had done and was willing to do, it scared her. Though that didn't make her any less willing to save her at the time since watching her own close friend succumb to such violent flames of insanity scared her more; she didn't want to lose her in those flames.

During the festival, Natsuki didn't feel compelled to fall for or kill her friend, but to ease, heal and promise that even though many things may happen between them in their lives, Natsuki would never hate her and that Shizuru would always remain as the only person that she became closest to.

That was why Natsuki was angry at her: for Shizuru to believe, even for a second, that Natsuki would not be there to help her if times like this got hard.

As the morning light crept into her window and into her eyes – making her still-closed eye flinch and her throat groan in aggravation at the nearly sleepless night – she decided to use the take advantage of the early morning time by taking a hot shower. Hopefully, it would mollify her muscles enough so that she could actually fall asleep again. She figured she might need the shower for the day ahead anyway.

Indolently rolling herself off of the bed (while nearly falling onto the floor at the same time but awake enough to catch herself before landing), she reached out for the single towel she had packed and gathered all her typical hygiene necessities in her arms. Strolling out half awake into the hallway, she followed the directions that Shizuru had given her.

When she stepped inside, everything she held to her chest nearly fell to the ground. Her face didn't portray surprise though as the only thing she did was mutter an inaudible "Figures". This bathroom was perhaps half the size of her own bedroom, maybe more. It had both a bath and a separate shower. The tub itself was, amazingly, built into the tan-colored tile floor and seemed big enough to easily seat two or three. The shower head was build into the wall opposite the tub and two sinks were in front of that to Natsuki's left.

Natsuki threw her towel onto the countertop that held the basins and took everything else with her to the tub. Her preference was the shower, but she was far to tired to stay standing so she ran the water into the tub. As she waited for it to fill, she stripped and tossed all her clothes next to her towel. When the tub was finally full with steaming water, she gently eased herself in, wincing at the contact but easily settling in with the water just above her shoulders.

She sighed contently as the pleasing numbness engulfed her muscles. She washed her hair quickly, and then she reached blindly for the soap and "borrowed" one of the face cloths that hung on a metal bar near her. Still without opening her eyes, she lathered her body in suds, occasionally having to shift into a kneeling position so that she could wash what she could above the water's surface. After all that had to be done was completed, she let herself settle back in for a few minutes, letting her head fall back onto the rounded edge.

Her eyes closed. Her mind drifted…

Hands. She felt hands on her, deliberately slow and gentle as they glided along her body. She felt soft lips tracing her face; breaths caressed her cheeks. Her mind felt entranced and her body fragile. The way the lips and hands touched her skin with such a chaste gracefulness made her feel innocent and vulnerable yet beautiful. The hands weren't strong but were most certainly delicate. Had she any strength left, as her limbs felt weak and heavy like weights, she would have wrapped her arms around the source of this pleasure and pulled it into the warm watery depths with her.

The hands moved down from her shoulders, across her breastbone and finally to her breasts. One cupped one mound while the other only caressed the edge of the other, only to slowly explore down a side of her ribcage to her stomach. The other hand gave a gentle squeeze on her breast while the soft skin of a palm teased the nub at the center. She groaned deep within her throat but its volume was light. Her head fell back and her back arched up in hopes that the hand would capture her again. When it did, her moan was as soft as a cats' purr. She didn't know what it was about these hands and lips that made her surrender so easily; it almost scared her.

She felt the lips drop down to the column of her neck, a warm tongue teasing the skin there and the lips nipping at her pulsing nerves. Her body quivered at all these touches: the lips at her neck; the hand one massaging her breast with such care; the other hand stroking her stomach with tenderness as her breathing continued to rise into pants.

She whimpered as the hand at her stomach drifted lower to the apex of her parted legs. Slender fingers caressed her folds so slowly it was agonizing. A gasp burst from her lungs as her body jerked on its own accord. Her heart beat wildly with passion then with fear when the one of the fingers that caressed her length came to the doorway of herself, all her secrets.

'No... wait…' She heaved breathlessly though her voice sounded faint. The tip of the finger circled the edge of her slowly, making her nearly whimper again. 'Please… don't…' She pleaded again but she still sounded inaudible to her own ears. She was scared. She no longer panted out of pleasure but out of pure fear as the slender tip was made ready to slip inside…

"STOP!" Natsuki flew into an upright position, water spilling out of the tub onto the tile floor while her hand dove into the water between her legs to snatch the now nonexistent arm of the hand that was about to enter her. Her eyes then flew open as she brought herself back into reality. Frantically looking around her, she still found herself a little out of breath. She was alone. Her face flushed red, feeling more shame than embarrassment at her own actions as the dream had progressed. 'What in the world was that?' She wondered as she somewhat shakily settled back into the tub and ran a wet hand over her face.

The cobalt-haired girl jumped as she heard a knock at the door. "Natsuki?"

Natsuki froze; it was Shizuru's voice. "Ye-yeah?" She stammered as she lifted herself from the tub, reaching for her towel. She just managed to wrap it around her when the door opened. Shizuru stepped in, wearing only a white bathrobe which Natsuki wished she had tied more tightly as the cleavage of her chest could be seen. 'Wait… why the hell am I looking down _there_ anyway?' The younger girl felt like kicking herself as she turned her head completely away from Shizuru, arms tightly folded and brows knitted together in agitation and self-hate. What impeccable timing Shizuru had.

"Are you alright?" The other girl asked, concern flooding her eyes.

"Yes. Why?" Natsuki tried to answer nonchalantly, though she couldn't help fidgeting in her stance and her tone was hard.

"I heard a scream when I came to the door." The other girl explained as she stepped further inside and closed the door behind her.

Natsuki's face pinked again as she searched for a more suitable excuse than 'I was trying to stop a nonexistent hand from raping me'. "I-I just, um, slipped on soapy water, that's all."

Shizuru's back was to the younger girl as she turned on the shower head, heated spray precipitating to the floor. "Oh, I see. I'm glad to see that Natsuki isn't hurt then."

Natsuki noticed Shizuru's arm movements at her waist and her eyes widened when she watched the sash fall to the ground. She gulped just before the robe slipped from creamy white shoulders. It seemed like everything turned into slow motion as the robe fell and a smooth back was exposed followed by long, slender legs. Natsuki wondered why her heart was beating so fast all of the sudden; it wasn't as though this was the first time she had seen the older girl naked. Perhaps it was just because both of their bodies have matured over the last couple of years.

"Natsuki?" Came the light and innocent voice with a hidden suggestiveness that Natsuki didn't miss.

Natsuki's eyes widened again. "You're not going to ask me to join you, are you?" She asked with a somewhat raspy voice due to the dryness of her mouth.

Shizuru burst into giggles while wide grin crossed her face as she put her hair up into a bun, exposing the curve of her neck. "No, I'm not. I was only going to tell you that perhaps, after breakfast, I can show you a bit of Kyoto." She stated between fits of giggles.

"Oh." Now Natsuki blushed pure crimson, now mentally throwing herself against the wall. "Sure."

"Of course," The older girl continued as she turned to Natsuki, who quickly turned away again. "If you _want _to join me, I wouldn't be bothered by it in the slightest. I could always use a few extra hands to help wash my back." The playful grin could be heard in her tone just as easily as envisioning the devil-horns growing from her head.

Natsuki now only had three ideas of what to do next: kill Shizuru, kill herself, or just simply face-fault. '_A few extra hands_.' She thought to herself, her face turning bright pink again. 'What a thing to say after the dream I just had. And I can't believe seeing Shizuru naked is what I get after having a dream like that. Why is this happening to me?' She felt like banging her head against the wall a few times just to clear it.

"I just washed and I have to get ready, so no." Natsuki stated bluntly, almost harshly. But, of course, that didn't bother Shizuru at all.

Still smiling, Shizuru turned to walk into the now steaming shower. During which time, Natsuki made sure to keep her eyes off her at all times. "If you wish." Shizuru stated simply yet teasingly. "I'll meet you at the breakfast table." By the time she had finished her statement the bathroom door had slammed.

8

'How I manage to stay with her yet endure these stupid dreams I'll never know.' Natsuki thought to herself as she roughly pulled out clothes for the day and tossed them onto her bed. Still a little angered at Shizuru, she continued to grumble to herself as she brushed her slick hair.

'Why are these dreams even coming to me in the first place? And it isn't like those hands were Shizuru's in the last dream. Maybe it was just the warm water that made me… _that way_.' She blushed again, feeling the shame rise again. 'I just have to stop thinking about them. They have nothing to do with the real world anyway. They're just stupid pictures in my head trying to throw me off.' She told herself, now drying her hair vigorously with the towel.

Once she was dry and fully dressed in comfortable clothes – men's sweatpants and feminine t-shirt – she made her way to the dinner table to find that two places were already set. Unless Shizuru and she were inclined to eat elsewhere, it looked as though Shizuru's guardians don't eat breakfast. 'I guess that's business people for you.' She thought as she seated herself.

She leaned her elbows into the long, polished, cherry wood table. She wondered why such a small family would need to dine at a table this size; it was almost big enough for a banquet hall. The morning light laid itself across the room from the large window opposite the door to look out to yet another scenic view of the Kyoto mountains. Already bored waiting for Shizuru's return or food to be presented (like it had been the day before), Natsuki stood up to walk around the room a bit. Leaning her shoulder against the windowpane, green eyes stared down onto the spot where Shizuru had told her the 'big news'. Her mind was thoughtless on it; she was both anxious and curious of the days to come yet her mind didn't want to dwell on it. Perhaps it was better that way, for herself.

"Miss Kuga?" Came an inquiring voice from the door.

Natsuki turned to look at the housemaid. "Hm?"

The short-haired woman stayed in the doorframe. "Ojou-sama has asked me to inform you that you may start breakfast without her since she is aware of her lateness." She stated stoically. "Would you like me to fetch you your breakfast meal from the kitchen?"

Natsuki just looked at her: she was ready to say yes as her hunger was slowly growing as the seconds passed, but something stopped her. In a sheepish gesture, her eyes turned back to the window. "Um, I'd—if it isn't too much trouble, that is—I'd rather wait for her." She tried to state with simple bluntness -- something she had always been good at, especially in her teenage years – but for some strange reason, couldn't. Maybe she was still nervous on making a good impression, she figured.

The housemaid looked at her, strangely intrigued as though she never knew friends could do that -- be willing to do such things like wait for each other. Her face returned to its bland expression as she bowed lightly. "I'll make sure to tell her."

Natsuki quickly covered her rumbling stomach with her arm. Blushing, she added, "And tell her to hurry up!" She didn't turn around to see the woman's face as her own was still pink; she was sure her points for making a good impression fell a bit on that one. Though at the same time, she knew that, if anything, that might work a smile onto her friend's face whenever she'd receive the message. She heard a dull "of course" before the maid left. Yep, she might've lost a few points, but she mentally shrugged it off.

Fifteen minutes later, a familiar voice finally came from the front of the room. "Was I fast enough for Natsuki?"

Not having turned around yet, Natsuki could see the grin in her mind again. Feeling more hunger than before and nearly regretting saying no to the housemaid, the younger girl quickly turned around with an "Almost." When her eyes finally landed on Shizuru, she found that they were reluctant to leave: the woman's tawny-hair was pulled up at the sides, something that wasn't often seen but should be; her white-and-cherry blossom skirt loosely hugged her thighs while her white blouse hugged her torso perfectly.

In her white dress-sandals, Shizuru strode towards one of the chairs and seated herself with what could only be described as unsurpassable grace. "Forgive me for keeping you waiting, then." Another housemaid followed behind to serve the plates.

Natsuki had to make herself move to take her own seat. She suddenly felt even more self-conscious than before since she was more aware of the difference in their choice of attires. 'God, I feel so out-of-place now.' Natsuki thought as she nervously glanced towards the maid who was still busying herself anyway. She inwardly shook herself from the thought; why the hell should she care about what other people thought of her in comparison to Shizuru? To her, Shizuru was unbeatable in the looks-and-class department anyway! Though she would never admit that out loud and especially not in front of Shizuru; the opportunity to be teased would be much too wide.

"By the way, I take it you didn't bring a bathing suit?" Shizuru asked simply, knowing that it would be just like Natsuki to not pack things she assumed she wouldn't need.

Natsuki looked back at her contemplatively. "No, I didn't." She was starting to get suspicious.

Shizuru gave a seemly shrug. "That's okay, we can buy one."

Natsuki's expression hadn't changed. "Why do we need one?" She now began to dread the thought of having Shizuru go in and find perhaps the sexiest two-piece bathing suit.

Shizuru then gave a light, playful smile. "You'll see."

Normally, Natsuki would ask and pry until Shizuru finally told her whatever it was that she was planning. But of course, that hardly ever worked, so she had given up trying long ago. Still, she stared at Shizuru for a while until she couldn't withstand her hunger anymore.

8

It was already ten o'clock in the morning when Shizuru and Natsuki finally left. The younger girl briefly wondered where the time had gone as they slipped onto the leather seats of Shizuru's Mercedes.

'Figures.' Natsuki thought as her eyes roamed over the slick interior. She didn't have a license to drive a car, only motorcycles, and so she let herself lean back against the seat while Shizuru sped off. "So, what are you planning to do with me?" Her tone was purposely bored and emotionless, acting as though she were an automaton and waiting for Shizuru to direct her as if she didn't have a choice.

Shizuru easily noticed this and smirked, keeping her eyes on the road. "How does a strip club sound to you?" She burst into her fit of laughter again when she saw the jaw-dropped, cherry-colored shocked face Natsuki wore. "It was a joke!" She continued to laugh even after Natsuki's hand slapped her shoulder.

"Damn you." Natsuki murmured, rubbing her forehead with her hand, trying to ease the growing headache.

Shizuru only grinned as she went to answer truthfully. "Well, I only want to show you my house and some of my favorite spots of Kyoto. If there's anything else Natsuki would like to do, I'm always willing to follow."

Natsuki was silent as she thought for a minute. "Well, I do have a few more days with you, so we can spread it around. Showing me your house and some spots should be plenty." She explained. "We could also have a picnic or something. Do you know a place that we could get food to take to one of those favorite spots of yours?" She inquired

"I know one, yes." Shizuru responded, the wide smile going unnoticed to Natsuki's as she was looking away. "I also know another fine place that we can have dinner as well."

Natsuki nodded. "Okay, so since you're choosing the dinner, I'll choose the lunch?"

"Certainly."

Natsuki now grinned. "Good."

When she glanced at her, Shizuru noticed the look on Natsuki's face and soon gave her a suspicious yet knowing eye. "It's going to be fast food, isn't it?"

"Yep." Natsuki grinned even wider when she saw Shizuru grimace slightly. This was always her sweet torture towards the other girl for all the times she made her pink in the face.

"Fine." Although faintly disgusted by the thought, Shizuru still couldn't help but grin as well. To her, Natsuki's smile was always contagious. "Anything else you might want to do?"

"Let's just see what happens." Natsuki responded simply as they finally passed the acres of trees and her green gaze landed on the typical Kyoto structures that came into sight from the road.

Shizuru couldn't help but smile at that as well; it was a typical Natsuki response. Not a care in the world of what was to come. She liked that about her; no schedule was necessary, unlike the business world that Shizuru lived in.

Slightly uncomfortable even by the silence, Natsuki asked, "So, are we going to your house first, or…"

"I want to save that for last." Shizuru responded simply, following the curves of the road that had millions of tall, thin trees on either side.

"Want to save the best for last huh?" Natsuki smirked, although she knew that Shizuru wasn't the type to show off her wealth. That was perhaps one of the things that she liked best about her.

"Yes, but in a different way than you might be thinking." Shizuru turned to find the younger girl looking at were with curiosity and perplexity. "You'll see."

For a moment Natsuki's expression didn't change, then as she turned away, she raised her eyebrows briefly as if to say "Okay…?" Her eyebrows furrowed slightly in irritation, 'I'm getting a little tired of all these You'll See's.'

88

Shizuru took her to as many things as she could through the city. They passed by tall teahouses and long strips of markets and shops. One of her favorite places was a large Zen garden within the city area that could be walked through. Of course, when a small group of people walked by them on the pathway through the garden, Shizuru smirked and hooked her arm through Natsuki's. She giggled when Natsuki jumped and tried in futile to shuffle away from her.

Another of her favorite spots was at the top of a large staircase to a shrine. They didn't go inside, since neither were dressed properly, but instead they stood by the tall shrine gate and looked out onto the tops of the buildings close to them as others who came up to visit the shrine simply passed by them. "A romantic spot, isn't it?" Shizuru had commented. Natsuki noticed that the older girl had moved a little closer to her. She coughed, skeptically adding, "Yeah, if you don't mind being surrounded by a bunch of chanting old guys who try to rid you of your _evil sins_." Shizuru only smirked.

They came to a beachwear store and (Shizuru) managed to find a suit for Natsuki to wear. When she held it up, Natsuki only blinked and looked back up at her friend with a quirked eye. "You've gotta be kidding." She'd said, eyeing the two-piece bathing suit that looked more like a thin string with a couple of 3 by 5 cards attached. "It's the only one that has your size, Natsuki." Shizuru had explained, although Natsuki wasn't totally convinced that the other girl was telling the truth. "And besides, I know it'd look beautiful on you. Look," Shizuru had then held it up to Natsuki's body. "And the colors even match your eyes and hair." She added brightly with a smile as she envisioned the younger girl wearing it. "Or shall I pick out a thong for you?" She then inquired innocently. Natsuki then took the suit up to the counter for her. "Don't think too hard on that one, Shizuru." The younger girl had mentioned when she had seen the other girl's grin.

88

Natsuki looked out the window, her eyebrow quirking as they passed more and more tall trees. "Are you taking us out to the middle of nowhere?" She asked incredulously, turning to Shizuru.

Shizuru only smirked at Natsuki's comment. "Something like that." When Natsuki stared at her, she continued. "It's just a little spot that I know. We're almost there."

Fifteen minutes later, Shizuru finally pulled into a hidden dirt road. They were now one with the bamboo trees as that was all they could see. Slopes of small hills followed, and then small streams, then finally levels of waterfalls came into view.

The water deposited into a pool below it then split into several smaller streams. Moss and vines climbed up the smooth, shaped stone wall beneath it while small plants grew along the sides up the jagged rock. Natsuki guessed the wall was perhaps a foot taller than herself. When she looked above it, she noticed that this was but one of several and was part of one long stream of waterfalls behind it as the elevation of the land sloped upwards. A thin layer of mist rose from where the water crashed.

Shizuru pulled the car over to the wall of trees and stepped out. Natsuki followed wordlessly, grabbing their lunch in the back seat. Shizuru stepped close to the edge of the pool; though the water was pretty clear, it was difficult to sea how deep it was. She kicked off her sandal and put her toe in. She sighed. "The water's warm today."

"How long have you known about this place?" Natsuki asked as she settled herself against a nearby tree, setting her fast food bag and Shizuru's bento box next to her.

"Not long; sometime after I graduated and returned here. I was just always curious as to where that road led." She turned and saw Natsuki reaching into the bag for her chicken burger. "I hope you're not planning to eat now. After all, you might get a cramp." She warned.

Natsuki's eyes furrowed in confusion and when she looked up to ask Shizuru what she was talking about, she froze in shock. Shizuru was undressing right in front of the water. She first assumed that what Shizuru wore underneath here her panties and bra since they were both white, but then realized that it was a two-piece bathing suit.

Natsuki watched as the older girl slowly waded in then turned to the cobalt-haired girl, the water going up to her thighs. "Are you coming?" Shizuru asked pleasantly.

Jade eyes blinked, not knowing what to do. Now at least she knew why Shizuru made her buy a bathing suit. "I don't have the bathing suit on. Why didn't you tell me to leave it on in the dressing room?"

Shizuru blinked. "I assumed you kept it on."

There was a silence between them until Natsuki finally spoke, her eyes unwavering upon Shizuru's. "What do you want me to do?" She asked, now a little afraid.

Shizuru couldn't help but giggle. "No one's here; put it on." She went further into the water, the ripples now licking at her midriff.

'Put it on?' Natsuki thought incredulously, her eyes and mouth going wide open. "That's easy for you to say! You're already dressed! You don't have to worry about…" She looked around herself suspiciously. "Campers, hiker, hunters and…" She gulped at the last, "birdwatchers." She could just see the dorky birdwatchers with their binoculars, grazing over the area until their specs land on Natsuki's naked body.

Shizuru laughed, "Natsuki, I've been here many times and nobody's ever been here. I know it's strange since this place seems part of a public park, but it's true. So don't worry." She continued and Natsuki's uneasy silence. "And besides, if you or I see anyone looking at you, I'll beat them myself." Shizuru stated confidently, although she had a smile of pleasure on her face at the mere thought of it.

Natsuki looked at her, not at all doubting Shizuru's words – when the woman's pissed off by any reason, Natsuki's 'Steps' were thus: lock the doors, shut the windows, sprint and don't look back. Although this was yet another thing she'd never say out loud, only because she feared that Shizuru would take it the wrong way; to think that Natsuki meant how Shizuru was when… well, just during the HiME Festival. She hated to think of it. She knew Shizuru did too.

Mistaking Natsuki's silence for further uncertainty, Shizuru continued with a chuckle. "It's not like I haven't seen Natsuki naked before. And besides, I know you love to swim." She added with a smile, remembering the swimming matches Natsuki would take part in. If there was any class she knew Natsuki liked, it would've been Physical Education.

Natsuki remained still for a moment as she looked at Shizuru's honest face. 'Honest.' Natsuki thought to herself, knowing the irony that you could never tell whether Shizuru's expression was 'honest' when they were in school. The smile always hid her true feelings. When Natsuki first knew her, it kind of creeped her out, but then she slowly got used to the sight of it until she realized that, in some subtle way, the smile she would give Natsuki was different from what she gave the others. Knowing that, she gave in, trusting Shizuru.

As she turned to retrieve her two-piece, Shizuru called, "I brought towels and a quilt for us to lie on; they're in the trunk. The keys are in my shirt pocket." With that, Natsuki watched as the tawny-haired girl finally dived below the water's surface. She got the keys (feeling a little odd as she rummaged through another girl's shirt) then went to collect all that was needed.

As Natsuki undressed, her eyes kept peering over to the water, looking to see if an crimson orbs were stealing glances towards her. Shizuru would come to the surface again but then dive back down. The eyes never laid upon her – she was surprised yet, somehow, bothered that they didn't.

"Oh, Natsuki?" Shizuru suddenly called as she broke from the water again and turned to the blue-haired girl, who had her bottom on but did not yet have her top half on.

Natsuki's arms reflexively went to her breasts which were covered only by a navy bra. "Y-yeah?"

"I forgot to tell you – I had the tools you asked for sent to your bedroom this morning while we were eating. You should have everything now." Shizuru stated, continuing to look at Natsuki's uncomfortable position.

"Oh, thanks." She muttered, wishing Shizuru had told her this either before or after she had changed, not during. She quickly put her top on while Shizuru swam over towards the falls. After making sure everything was adjusted, she walked towards the edge, felt the temperature, and jumped into neck-deep waters. She sighed as the cool water washed her skin.

When the jade eyes opened, the first thing she laid those eyes on was Shizuru's body underneath the cascading water. Shizuru's head was tilted a little forward, slick hair falling forward with runnels of water running from the locks. Natsuki swore she heard her moan as she let the water crash onto her backside with enough force to massage her back. Natsuki pinked slightly, she didn't know why. Shizuru then tilted her head back, letting the water fall onto her forehead, pushing her slick hair out of her eyes and face. She watched as more rivers of water went from her head to her cheek, to her neck, then down her torso, the sun taking the chance to highlight her ivory skin.

'So that's what she looks like when she's in the shower…' Natsuki blushed to a cherry-color when she realized what she was thinking. Shizuru's eyes suddenly opened, staring right into her own with a seductive glint. Natsuki dove under again to hide her burning face, not even the cool water helped alleviate it. 'Why is this always happening to me?'

When the need for air forced her up again, she found that Shizuru was gone. Her heart pounded as she looked around herself, finding no one. She jumped as she felt something grab her ankles and pull her under. Before she had any time to react, she found herself being pulled into an embrace from behind. She felt bubbles blowing against her shoulder.

Wiggling out of the embrace, she went back to the surface, Shizuru following after her. "What was that for?" Natsuki asked when Shizuru came up.

Shizuru smiled and shrugged. "I just wanted to have some fun with Natsuki."

Natsuki just looked at her for a moment before her eyes became competitive. "Oh really? Well, how's this?" She took Shizuru by the shoulders and pushed her under. The older girl reacted by splashing her. Natsuki couldn't help but laugh as she splashed back. Soon, their relaxing swim became an all-out splash war. Both girls laughed and let out small shrieks as they attacked each other almost endlessly, both relentless in winning.

Shizuru shrieked in surprise as Natsuki suddenly jumped onto her, taking them both underwater. Natsuki the pushed her away as she swam in retreat. Shizuru quickly followed her, grabbing for whatever limb she could. This continued like a game of tag as they both periodically reached the surface just for a breath of air. Natsuki had to admit, she was having fun. They could hear each other laugh underwater.

When both were finally exhausted from all the swimming, they went to lean against the stone wall, letting the water collide with their bodies.

Shizuru took a few seconds to catch her breath before she spoke. "Have you spoken with Mai and the others since your graduation?" She asked, turning to her.

"Yeah, we work together on jobs and homework occasionally." Natsuki replied breathlessly.

Shizuru smirked. "Do they all still think I'm psychotic?"

The younger girl paused and turned to her. She wished the other girl would stop saying things like that. She couldn't help but smirk herself however as she responded, "Just Nao, but she's getting over it. She hardly ever thinks about it anymore, really." Natsuki turned her eyes to the trees that stood behind their belongings. "She and I have actually become best friends over the years." She stated simply as she turned to Shizuru. Noticing the look of surprise in her wine-red eyes, Natsuki quickly corrected herself. "Err-besides you, that is."

Shizuru smiled. "I'm glad. I was almost afraid that I had been replaced."

"No one could replace you, Shizuru." The words spilled out before Natsuki could rearrange them. She blushed slightly as she looked away.

Shizuru's smile became fond like the look in her eyes. "Thank you. I'm so happy." She spoke in a light tone. She moved to embrace Natsuki from behind again, her hands resting lightly on Natsuki's stomach while she rested her chin against Natsuki's shoulder.

Natsuki now blushed for a totally different reason. _Hands_… She remembered the hands moving down her body. She quickly pulled away. "I'm starving, let's eat." She swam to the other side of the pool of water and grabbed a while towel, wrapping it around herself. She shivered and she didn't think it was because of the air that now seemed cold.

Shizuru stared as she had retreated, but said nothing. She didn't know what it was that made Natsuki so skittish all of the sudden, but she figured it'd just be best to change the subject to a lighter one. "So…" She droned as she crossed and grabbed a towel. "Any more panty-stealing demons cross your path?" She couldn't help but grin as Natsuki rolled her eyes.

"Will you just let that go!" Natsuki groaned as she laid out the quilt for them to lay on.

"Nope. Never. You know me." The older girl continued to grin. Although she now felt guilty about thinking this, when she heard about the incident with Mr. Takeda, she was disappointed that she wasn't there to witness it herself. When Natsuki was silent, she continued, "Do you remember the day that we went to go lingerie-shopping?"

"You dare ask that question?" Natsuki looked up at her as she opened her fast-food bag, glaring slightly. "That's one of the memories that refuse to leave."

888Flashback888

Grunting a little as she tried on a pair of tight jeans, Natsuki sighed in agitation as she heard a small movement coming from the bench behind her. "Shizuru," Natsuki started, not turning around in her somewhat small dressing cubicle. "Tell me again, why are you in here?"

The bench creaked again. "Just in case you need any help while trying some of these clothes on, Natsuki."

The cobalt-haired girl turned to give her a skeptically-raised eyebrow. Shizuru was sitting there, cross-legged, hands held in front of her on a pile of neatly folded clothes in her lap that were ready to be tried on, and seeming totally unfazed by the fact that the younger girl's lithe body was half-naked before her.

"Shizuru, I think I can handle this without you." Natsuki responded skeptically, slightly annoyed.

"Oh, I don't mind." Shizuru gave her a pleasant smile that was really all-too-pleasant for Natsuki's liking. "I don't want to miss a moment."

'I bet you don't.' Natsuki thought, even more annoyed as it was just like Shizuru to say something like that while watching the girl undress. She ignored it and tied the belt around her waist. "Would you please just hand me another shirt to try on?"

"Certainly," Shizuru watched as Natsuki took off the shirt she came in with. Her eyes widened as the younger girl turned to grab the other shirt from Shizuru's hand. "Oh my, They're getting bigger."

Natsuki's eyes widened and her eyes even dilated some. She turned back to Shizuru as her arms nearly flung to her chest which would've been totally exposed if it wasn't for the bra. "What?"

"Your abdominal muscles, I mean." Shizuru looked up at her with innocent but curious eyes.

Natsuki sighed. "Oh… yeah… my abs… right." She nearly heaved with relief.

The council president now looked at her with very curious eyes. "What did you think I meant?"

"N-nothing." As Natsuki quickly turned away to hide her embarrassed face, she pretended not to see the amused and knowing smirk that grew on Shizuru's face. She was happy there was silence after that so that she could quickly find a way to change the subject. "Another question: why are we clothes shopping when we came to do underwear shopping?"

Shizuru shrugged innocently, "I guess you might as well have more in your wardrobe to match the lingerie we're about to buy you."

Natsuki paused for a moment as she pulled the new shirt on. "That doesn't make sense."

"That's only because I haven't made you into an expert shopper yet. Although I hope that doesn't come soon, I love shopping with you."

Natsuki blushed, quickly checking the size of the shirt and taking back off again. "They all fit, so I'll take 'em."

Natsuki always wondered how Shizuru managed to get the money to pay for her own clothes _and_ the younger girl's clothes. She never really asked, as she knew that Shizuru was rich to begin with, but she just always wondered also why Shizuru was willing to do it. There were several other girls at school that she could be just as nice to, but why her? Not that she was complaining…

They finally came to _Mairu's Lingeries_ and, as usual, Natsuki stood close to a vacant dressing groom, waiting for the lingerie vulture to return. Shizuru came with two hands-full of bras and panties, as well as a few extra things such as silk nightwear.

Natsuki took it all into her arms and stepped in. "Out!" With one arm on Shizuru's shoulder, she pushed the older girl out of the stall when she tried to sneak in after her. Natsuki quickly shut the door and locked it. That wasn't the first time that's happened as Shizuru only smiled as she left Natsuki in peace and went back into the store.

When Natsuki was finished trying on every type of underwear that all teenage girls wore – bikinis, briefs, thongs, and a single g-string which Natsuki almost swallowed her tongue at when she saw it – she came out with all the ones she wanted in her hand (the g-string was in the bundle just to humor the council president) while Shizuru waited for her.

Natsuki peered around Shizuru when she noticed that she was holding something behind her back. "What else do you have? There couldn't have been much more." She asked.

Shizuru grinned and produced from behind her back what she knew would be both Natsuki's and her own pride and joy of the younger girl's wardrobe of lingerie:

Shizuru knew exactly how to describe it - a tropical ocean blue with dark blue blossom designs, tapestry satin jacquard strapless corset with a venice trim, hook-and-eye front and waist-slimming lace-up back, and removable black garters and stockings with a matching jacquard g-string.

Natsuki's eyes bugged out of their sockets at the sight of it. She shook her head almost frantically. "No way. You can't expect me to wear _that_?" She tried desperately to keep her face from going into the cherry color it was flooding into now. "Isn't there a law saying that such scandalous clothing shouldn't be marketed to minors?"

Shizuru laughed at the look on Natsuki's face. "But it'd look beautiful on you." Natsuki gave her a death glare. "Fine, you don't have to get it, but would you at least try it on? I want to see how it might look on you." Natsuki remained unyielding. "I'll find you more g-strings." She warned.

The full-body lingerie was snatched from Shizuru's hands and tawny hair fluttered as the door slammed shut. Shizuru grinned as she seated herself in front of the door. She tried to keep herself from laughing as she heard noises coming from the stall; it was obvious that Natsuki was having a difficult time. "Need any help?" Shizuru asked lightly.

"No!" Natsuki shouted from behind, aggravation clearly in her voice. "I've almost got it." Twenty seconds later the door finally opened.

Natsuki stood there sheepishly, letting Shizuru's stunned eyes wander over her. Natsuki placed one hand on the doorframe of the stall, the other on her hip and bent one knee, as if to say "Well? Are you happy now?"

Shizuru took one step towards her and reached into her purse. "Natsuki, please don't move."

Natsuki looked at her incredulously. "Why?"

"Because even if you don't want yourself to be remembered wearing it, I do." Shizuru quickly pulled out digital camera, aimed it on it side to catch all of Natsuki, and quickly pressed the shutter before Natsuki had any time to react.

Natsuki went ballistic. "SHIZURU!" The younger girl leapt at the taller girl, making the both of them fall to the floor. Shizuru laughed as Natsuki squirmed on top of her, trying to get to the camera in her hand. This was definitely worth the small pain she felt on the back of her head from the landing onto the carpet floor. Shizuru kept it high away from her, their hands clashing together as one pair reached for and the other pair stretched away. "Natsuki, I swear I'm not going to show it to anyone!" She couldn't stop her giggles.

Natsuki slowed her frantic actions, looking down at Shizuru with eyes that pierced into her own. "You promise?"

"Yes, I promise." Shizuru nodded, heaving.

Natsuki exhaled. "Fine." She spoke as she looked away, aggravation clearly building in her eyes. Then, Natsuki realized that she could feel Shizuru's legs with her own and that she was actually lying _on top_ of Shizuru. She saw the content look in Shizuru's warm eyes as they looked back up at her, a soft smile on her face. Natsuki blushed, pushed her self up from the floor and bolted into the dressing room. Shizuru just looked at her as she went, and lightly laughed. Shopping with her was always so much fun; she'd spend every penny.

888EndFlashback888

"I still hate you for that." Natsuki stated over the roaring falls nearby as she bit into her sandwich.

"I know you do." Shizuru couldn't help but grin playfully. She poked her chopsticks into the fish in her bento box. "I still have the photograph." She stated before she put a slab of fish into her mouth.

"You do?" Natsuki looked up at her, both annoyed and amazed.

"It's in my wallet." She took another bite of the rice. "I'll get it." She went to her car, towel wrapped around her, and pulled out her purse from the front seat. When she came back, she flipped through the photographs of her wallet and pulled out a small photo. She handed it to Natsuki, laughing at the shocked look on the face of the younger Natsuki in the picture.

The current Natsuki glared at her as she snatched the picture from her fingers. After one quick look, she slapped her hand on her burning face and groaned as she handed it back. "God." She could only mutter.

Shizuru giggled as she took it. "I want to get an updated one." She placed it safely back into her wallet.

Natsuki looked at her incredulously before turning away. "You never will." She brought the sandwich into her mouth again.

Shizuru tried not to giggle as she recognized the old pout Natsuki used to do just then. "Well see." She went back to her rice. Before Natsuki could speak, she held up a ball of rice an inch away from Natsuki's mouth. "Open wide." She chimed, smiling.

Natsuki's eyebrows knitted together as she looked from the rice to Shizuru. "How old do you think I am? Two?"

Shizuru giggled softly. "I did this to you while we were still in school together, remember? What are you so afraid of now?"

Natsuki silently looked back to the ball of rice between the chopsticks. She rolled her eyes again as she took the ball into her mouth. "You happy now?" She asked with a full mouth.

Shizuru paused. "Almost." She reached out, brushed her thumb against the other girl's pink lips to catch the stray grain of rice and brought the thumb to her lips.

Natsuki pinked in the face as she watched Shizuru's tongue gently take the grain. "I-idiot! Why do you always do things like that?"

"Just for that response and adorable expression on Natsuki's face, of course!" Shizuru grinned. When Natsuki groaned and turned away in a huff, the other girl giggled again. "It's just like old times."

At that, Natsuki's stiff shoulders softened, peering over her shoulder to Shizuru's smile. Both remained silent as they continued eating. Shizuru eventually looked at her watch. "My, the day went fast."

"Why? What time is it?" Natsuki asked around the food in her mouth.

"Five o'clock."

"Five?" Natsuki looked to the skies that were already starting to become rich with colors of the coming sunset. "Wow. That was fast."

Shizuru placed her empty bento into her bag she was now using for trash. "We can either stay here, or we can go and I can show you my house. Which would you like to do, Natsuki?" She asked simply.

Natsuki paused, not quite sure what to answer. She looked back up to the skies. "It's not quite dark yet. Can we stay here a little longer? I kind of like it here. It's calm."

Shizuru smiled. "Sure." She turned to look at the falls. "I'm sure the _surprise_ at home can wait a little longer…" She added almost as if using it as a lure.

The cobalt-haired girl looked at her questionably. "What do you mean?"

The older girl smirked. "You'll see."

Natsuki groaned. "Damn your 'you'll see's!" She massaged her temple. Despite her curiosity, she was still willing to wait and stay here with Shizuru.

8888888888888888888888888888888

If you would like to see the pic of Shizuru'spick oflingerie for Natsuki, PM me and I'll give you the link. It's not a drawing but the actual lingerie outfit I chose for Natsuki XD


	7. The Majestic Moon Plays Wicked Games

I'M SOOOOO SOOOORRRRRRRRRYYYY!!!!!!! (begs for forgiveness from all!!!!!) I know it's been such a long time, it was just a whole lot of school issues, SAT/ACT exams and preps and college essays and omg I don't even want to talk about it. Not to mention tons and tons of girl problems (don't ask, long story) I hope this'll do, I had a writer's block too a while back and now I'm so glad I could get passed it. I may have another one for the next chapter but I promise I'll think of something! I recently got the English version of Mai HiME and that helped me back on track a lot too. Anyway, I hope you all like it! P.S. Shizuru's rather more teasing than usual in this one ;P

And btw thank you all soooooo much for your support and reviews telling me to keep going they really helped a great deal so i thank you!! ;) I woulda liked to have gotten this done on either Shizuru's birthday or on Valentines day but i just couldn't do it! grrr.. but hey, i got it in. And i think my b-day is the same as Shizuru's so it woulda been a little hard... anyway, enjoy!

I do not own any of the characters from Mai HiME, only Sunrise does and we love them (and we'd love them even more if we actually saw a real kiss between our two lovers in the anime... and even more if there was some more _closeness_ if they catch my drift, hehe)

1

Chapter 7: The Majestic Moon Plays Wicked Games

The moon was like a beacon in the sky as the night became crystal clear. It's light trickled along the planes of the tousling leaves in the fading daylight. There was no conversation between them, only the roaring engine of Shizuru's Mercedes as they rode the dark streets. It was comfortable to Natsuki, she didn't mind the silence and Shizuru didn't seem to mind it either.

Soon the street lights swept over the inside as they made their way closer to the city streets. The younger girl sat there, arms folded and one ankle atop the other. Her jade eyes swept over to Shizuru's side. Her original intention was to gaze out of Shizuru's window, but that was before her eyes fell to unconsciously follow the rays of orange light that trailed up the body next to her.

Because of the speed they were going, those green eyes were only able to catch the glimpses that the flashes of light allowed. During those glimpses, she was able to distinguish the shapely forms of her legs from beneath her skirt; the soft curves of her torso beneath the white blouse; the long, flowing tawny hair which framed the soft, flawless face and wine-red eyes that seemed accentuated in the darkness of the night.

Those eyes seemed to blink in mild surprise before they drifted to the jade that were still unconsciously lying upon her. Natsuki wasn't sure what it was that made her catch her breath as she looked away – the embarrassment of being caught staring or witnessing the power those deep orbs had on her in the dark.

She shut her eyes tightly in self-hate. 'Why the hell did I do that?' She wondered, mentally punching herself.

"Are you alright, Natsuki?" Shizuru inquired softly, making Natsuki jump in her seat.

"F-fine." The younger girl stuttered, trying to keep her eyes fixed on the passing dark landscape. "How far away are we from your house?" She asked as she noticed that they weren't coming any closer to the city but just driving around it. She could tell this as multi-colored orbs of light from the stories of buildings revolved around to pass her eyes.

"Not far. Only another ten minutes." Shizuru responded calmly as she made a gentle turn in the road. "You must be tired from all the swimming, I'm sorry I kept you out so late, I lost track of time." She added after a few moments of silences that sounded like a foghorn in Natsuki's head.

"No, it's okay. I had fun." Natsuki turned to the older girl as she spoke. She found herself easing into calmness again as she finally found something to talk about and not think about why she had just looked at her best friend the way that she had. She turned her eyes back to the lights, finding herself somewhat mesmerized by them. "I can't swim much where I live. Maybe at the recreational center, but to be in a place totally secluded and fresh, it felt…" Natsuki paused, trying to find the right word.

"Real?" Shizuru's voice was soft, as if she knew exactly what Natsuki was talking about and could very much relate.

Natsuki was silent for a minute, then her eyes softened as she stared blindly at the lights. "Yeah. Real. It felt real, and it made me feel free." She let her mind drift, trying to feel the fresh water surrounding her again even if it was slightly cold, but the cold was what added to the realness. She remembered that even in the shower, if she used up the hot water and it slowly turned cold, she'd still stay in the shower because it felt like she was underneath a waterfall. Pure and free.

"I'm so glad I could do that for you, Natsuki." Shizuru responded softly and tenderly, slowly laying her hand on the other girl's knee.

Natsuki instantly stiffened, definitely no longer mesmerized by the lights but how fast her heart was beating now. 'Her hand… my knee… her hand… her hand…' "I-it's okay, Shizuru." She stuttered again, feeling the warmth of her hand spread along her skin underneath her pants. She was trying to keep the goosebumps from rippling across her skin from where the older girl's slender hand laid. Natsuki watched Shizuru from the corner of her eye as crimson eyes looked back to the road but their owner didn't remove her hand. After a few minutes, Natsuki finally asked, "Shizuru, your hand…"

"Yes, what about it? She asked nonchalantly.

"Well… it's just…. _T-There_!" Natsuki replied with an incredulous tone as she motioned her head towards her captured knee.

Shizuru giggled lightly. "Does Natsuki not like it there?"

"N-not particularly!" Natsuki could feel her eye twitching.

"Well then," Natsuki's heart started beating even faster as she heard Shizuru's voice drop very low. "Would Natsuki like it…" She gracefully but tantalizingly glided her hand slowly up Natsuki's thigh, "_Here_?"

"SH-SH-SH-SHIZ-!" Natsuki couldn't even finish the other girl's name as her face went aflame and her hand frantically slapped the hand away several times until it was totally on the driver's side of the car.

The mischievous girl could not for the life of her hold back her fits of laughter. "Please forgive me, Natsuki, for I could not resist!" She continued to laugh though tried her dear hardest to stifle it, the feeling of slight guilt steadily seeping in.

"Y-yeah well, just keep your damn eyes on the road could ya!?" Natsuki yelled at the other girl, still not totally sure if she should forgive her or not.

"I don't have to anymore - my house is right up the road." She pointed at the upcoming iron gate that was much smaller than that of the one in front of her parent's house. It would have barely been seen had it not been for the small lights stationed on each side of the gate. As she drove up, she reached onto the dashboard of her car and Natsuki heard a dull _'clu-click'._ With a shake and a slow creak, the gate opened.

"Oh…" was all Natsuki could say as she drove in and parked the car in the driveway.

Natsuki gazed at the house; it was a house of a typical standard – two-story, one garage, a chimney, a front porch with flowers in vases and wooden pots – it looked like a home perfect for a family. For reasons that Natsuki didn't know, the last thought made her mind darken, but quickly shook herself from it as she got out of the car and followed Shizuru to the front door.

Before Shizuru even went to open the door, she abruptly turned to Natsuki behind her, making the younger girl jump back slightly so that she wouldn't run directly into the other girl. "Natsuki, could I ask you to wait out here for a second? I just need to check on something…" She looked at Natsuki hopefully.

"Uh.." Natsuki gave her a strange look but nodded her head. "Sure. No problem."

"Thank you. I'll be back in a second." With that, she darted right in and quickly closed the door behind her with only the wave of her hair the last to be seen. What confused the cobalt-haired girl was that this was the first time that Shizuru needed to actually _check_ something in her home. Maybe it was to do any last-minute house clean-ups. But she didn't see the point, it was only her, Shizuru had nothing to be self-conscious about, she never did. Mentally shrugging, Natsuki stood there for a second before turning around to gaze out from the top step of the wooden porch.

She was amazed that after all that driving she could still see the lights over the wall of shrubbery and iron. She didn't notice city lights as much when she was younger, surely because she had a lot of other things on her mind. Now those things don't seem as important, at least not for seconds given like now.

Within a few moments, she heard the knob of the door turn and open. Turning, she found Shizuru gazing at her fondly, "You may come in now, Natsuki. My apologies for the delay,"

"As I said, it's no problem." Natsuki stepped passed Shizuru as she held the door open for her and closed it when she finally entered. Natsuki took a look around and liked how homey and gentle yet sophisticated and hip – just like Shizuru.

Dark, hard-wooden floors and cherry wood cabinets; no carpets but shaggy, burgundy rugs and forest green throws covering the floor and amber-colored leather furniture; golden-shaded sculptural lamps and candles of all dark colors stationed on gold and silver candlesticks atop polished cherry wood coffee and lounge tables surrounded by caramel-colored walls – a very comfortable and warm atmosphere.

"I'll go see what I have to offer you for a drink. I have a fire started in the living room to your left, make yourself at home." Shizuru requested before she calmly walked passed the rounded wooden staircase that stood at the immediate right of the entranceway, down the hall to a doorway to her right, which she assumed was the kitchen.

Natsuki hesitantly strode into the room lit only by the wild flames Shizuru had spoke of, centered within a large stone chimney at the back of the room. Not feeling like seating herself just yet on the leather couch shaped like an "L", she just let her gaze wander over the twitching flames several feet in front of her. She stood there just next to the glass coffee table littered with unlit candles of all sizes and a small vase-full of orchids. She placed her hands in her pockets and sighed thoughtlessly.

_Pata-pata-pata-pata… _

Natsuki's eyebrows furrowed as she heard something rapidly approaching her from behind. _Buh-thump!_ She squirmed and grumbled against the shaggy rug, feeling whatever it was moving on top of her. Trying to bring herself back up, she found that she had trouble because of the weight and the heavy breathing and a wet tongue licking frantically along her face and neck.

"Shizuru, get offa me…" Natsuki grumbled, closing her eyes tightly and turning away from the restless licks.

"It's not me!" Shizuru laughed as she approached the fallen girl on the floor with her captor walking on top of her.

Natsuki's eyes furrowed and craned her neck until she saw the big brown eyes of a golden retriever staring back at her. She gasped in excited delight as she turned onto her back and scratched and petted his soft fur. "He's adorable! When'd you get him?" Her smiling face scrunched up as the tongue began to attack her face again.

Shizuru grinned at the sight. "Maybe a year or two ago. Since I was always spending time alone here, I thought, why not have a pet to keep me company?"

"Good choice." Natsuki giggled as his cold wet snout explored her hair and face, quick little puffs of air tickling her.

"I'd say so - he reminded me a lot of you." The tawny-haired girl explained softly, watching as Natsuki turned to her with curiosity in response.

"How? What does?" The younger girl questioned as she roughly scratched the backs of both the dog's ears, making the big brown eyes close in pleasure.

Shizuru let out a soft sigh as she seated herself on the arm of the "L" couch, looking around thoughtfully as she shrugged. "Oh, just the cute nose and the big, adorable eyes, and the soft, cuddly bod-"

"Shizuru!!"

"And he sneaks into other people's property without permission." Shizuru continued, not at all bothered by Natuski's wide-eyed reaction but very much amused (as predicted).

Natsuki blinked, turning to the young dog with a playful smile. "Find anything good?" She asked as the dog rolled onto his back, begging for his belly to be rubbed.

Shizuru laughed lightly. "Just some buried tennis balls and toys. He still has a long way before he can be good enough to infiltrate a government building for top-secret data files."

The older girl giggled as she heard Natsuki laugh and pull the retriever into big, tight hug. "Aw that's not gonna be necessary…" The cobalt-haired girl smiled as she rubbed his belly then pulled him close, "But I'll train ya just in case!" She whispered into his floppy ear, only to be attacked by his tongue again and have her burst into giggles. "What's his name?" She opened one eye and turned to Shizuru.

"Take a guess." Shizuru smiled, a fond glint in her eye.

Natsuki's eyes darted over the older girl's questioningly. "… Kiyohime?" Apparently she missed the glint.

Shizuru laughed at her naïveté, and her cuteness. "Duran."

Natsuki looked at her for a moment. "Oh." She then turned to look into the big puppy dog eyes that had a 'please pet me some more' look in them. 'I shoulda seen that coming…' She thought to herself. Smiling absentmindedly, she went to scratch his ears again, hearing Duran growl in approval. "Good name."

"I knew you'd like it, I couldn't think of anything or anyone else when I saw him." Shizuru responded softly, watching as Natsuki slowly looked up at her without words. Shizuru watched Natsuki's gaze and she noted the uneasiness. This uneasiness was different from before – it was deeper and she could see it. Her heart sank, inwardly shaking her head. 'Perhaps I made you feel responsible for something… Then, forgive me Natsuki, I shouldn't have said that…'

Natsuki let her gaze drift morosely to the ground. "Shizur-.."

"Would you like tea, wine, coffee, or maybe hot cocoa?" Shizuru interrupted, quickly standing and walking closer to the doorframe to the hallway.

The cobalt-haired girl looked up in surprise at the sudden change, but decided to flow with it. "Um… I don't… whatever you're having?" She turned her answer into more of a question out of uncertainty.

"Red wine or white then?" Shizuru cocked her head slightly to one side as she asked, holding her hands in front of her.

"Um, whatever you've got that you think is good." The younger girl shrugged.

Shizuru laughed almost inaudibly, "very well," and went back to the kitchen.

Natsuki just stared at where she had stood, lost in thoughts. 'I don't like it that she thinks of me so much…' She thought to herself, the guilt that she had felt the day before after thinking of things similar to this began sinking in again.

Before she had any time to dwell on it, she felt Duran growl in his throat in boredom as he rolled – or flopped more like – right onto Natsuki's bent leg, making it fall to the ground with him. She smirked at the fallen canine, which lay comfortably in her lap.

"Silly puppy," She murmured as she stroked his belly, making Duran reach and crane his neck to lick her hand and fingers. Her smile widened as she watched him continue to reward her hands. Though she continued to watch him, her smile slowly fell as her mind drifted to other places. She didn't want it to because she knew it wouldn't help things – how things were going between Shizuru and her so far today – but she couldn't help it. On one level, she was happy that a dog as cute as this reminded the older girl of her. But on another level… 'Maybe I'm just thinking too much of this…' she thought to herself as her eyes glided over the charmingly decorated living room.

A few seconds later, Shizuru came back with two glasses of white wine in her hand. She giggled at the sight of her pet on top of half Natsuki's body. "I knew you two would be all over each other, and apparently I can mean that literally." Gracefully she laid the half-full glasses of wine on the glass tabletop and seated herself on the leather couch, one knee over the other and hands laid in her lap.

"I take it this is the "you'll see" surprise you were talking about?" Natsuki didn't need to see the other girl's nod as she already easily assumed the answer was yes. She smiled. "I wish our introduction coulda been a little less painful."

Shizuru gave and apologetic look. "I'm sorry about that. I had to make sure he was still in his cage before I let you in. I didn't want him jumping on you when the stairs were right behind you." She patted the leather cushion next to her, requesting she take the seat if she wished.

Pulling herself from underneath the retriever – much to his displeasure – she moved to the couch. "Yeah, the rug gave a much softer landing." As soon as she sat down, Duran's head was back in her lap. Natsuki softly laughed at him and stroked his head with her hand again.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" Shizuru leaned closer, taking Natsuki's chin between he fingers and turning her head to inspect her herself.

Natsuki blushed despite herself, though she hoped that the faint darkness and amber flames from the fireplace camouflaged the color spreading across her face. "Ah-I'm fine." She tried to casually shrug. "I mean, there was a very small throbbing right here," – with her index finger, she quickly made a line from the middle of her forehead to her nose – "but it's practically gone now, so…" Her voice drifted off sheepishly, turning her eyes anywhere but the concerned crimson ones still upon her. Still feeling them, she absentmindedly gulped as though inwardly knowing yet afraid of what she was going to do.

Jade eyes widened slightly as she felt the soft fingers draw her chin back toward the other woman's face. Shizuru's eyes became gentler as her face drew closer, making Natsuki's eyes become wider and wider the more centimeters were reduced between them. When Natsuki could feel warm breaths caressing her face, she shut her eyes as if to brace herself. She flinched slightly and let out an inaudible "Eeep!" as the lips of the beautiful girl in front of her finally made contact… with the bridge of her nose.

'Eh?' Natsuki opened one eye only to be faced with Shizuru's chin. The green eye glided up to look at the girl's face against her and her hand finally released the tight grip she didn't realize she had on the leather cushion underneath her. 'Oh.' was all she could think as she watched her slowly pull away and place her hand back into her lap.

"I hope that helps relieve the rest of the pain." Shizuru smiled softly at her, eyes just as soft.

Natsuki just looked at her for a moment, blinking, as if unsure of what just happened or even where she was. Her eyebrows furrowed at herself in confusion. 'Why did I think that she would…? I knew she wouldn't go that far because she knows that I would…?' She tried to blink her thoughts away when she noticed that Shizuru was observing her with a brow strangely raised at her. "Ah-um," – her eyes darted frantically around for something else to look at besides the strangely curious look she was getting – "I'm sure it will." Suddenly needing that wine, she quickly reached for the glass and took a sip. She tried to keep herself from choking at the taste.

Shizuru tried not to laugh at the slightly scrunched look that flickered on the younger girl's face. "It's ice wine – very sweet white wine. It's tart for first-timers, but I can put an ice cube in it to dull the strength." She offered, still smiling at the memory of Natsuki's reaction.

Natsuki did a tight blink and cleared her throat. "No, that's okay." She waited a beat. "At least it has a good aftertaste." She added lightly.

Shizuru nodded, "It does."

There was a moment of silence, and this time, Natsuki did feel a bit uncomfortable by it. The warmth of the older girl's lips still lingered between her brows. Se had an urge to lay her fingers at the source but refrained herself; she didn't want to while in front of the person responsible for the warmth she felt.

"I hope you don't mind us staying here tonight." Shizuru's soft Kyoto-ben voice finally came to her ears.

The younger girl turned to her and shrugged. "No, I don't mind at all." She took a minute to think about it. "I didn't bring anything to sleep in, but I don't mind sleeping in my clothes." She commented dismissively.

"Nonsense, I can lend you something of mine." The taller girl protested.

Natsuki paused and considered; she knew it would be something like silk camisoles or similar. She inwardly shrugged. "Fine. Where will I sleep then?"

"Either this couch or my bedroom," Shizuru answered simply, leaning her head against the arm that was braced against the cushion behind her.

"Couch."

Shizuru couldn't help but chuckle lightly at the almost automatic response. "I'm sorry I couldn't offer you something more accommodating or comfortable." The older girl replied, trying to hold her grin back as she was still amused by Natuki's response; she had even noticed the jade eyes widening slightly again when she had given her the possible choices.

"It's no problem." Natsuki replied with the same dismissive tone as before. "Remember, I live in a tiny apartment, so I'm very used to sleeping on couches."

Shizuru looked at her curiously. "You don't have a bed in your apartment?" For a moment, she wondered if there really were apartments that small.

"No, I do, I just end up rarely using it because I always have so much book work to do from my college that I wake up on top of them on my couch the next morning." The cobalt-haired girl explained simply as though it were routine.

Shizuru smiled, taking just a minute to watch the girl next to her gaze at Duran, whose eyes were drooping from sleepiness and content from the ministrations of Natsuki's hand. How she wished she could have been there to watch Natsuki sleep on top of her piles of books – she must have looked so very cute. "I'm glad Natsuki is working so hard in her studies," She stated, earning a flicker of a proud smile from said girl. "Though I certainly wouldn't want you to exhaust yourself either,"

Natsuki gave a mirthless smirk. "I have no choice; it's college after all." She relaxed against the very comfortable cushion behind her. "Besides, then I'm able to spend the next morning hanging around with Mai and Mikoto."

Shizuru then just looked at her in silence. She wasn't really thinking anything, only feeling a twinge of regret and… maybe… loss, since she remembered spending mornings with this adorably attractive girl back at the Academy and now couldn't – not like then at least; offering her a warm cup of tea and her grudgingly accepting; allowing her to use the computer when she needed, either one of them looking over the other's shoulder to look at the screen. The best would be would be the days when Shizuru had made her a lunch, whether she stayed in school that day or just left – the blush and jumbling for words as a thank you from the younger girl would be absolutely priceless.

Maybe it wasn't truly loss she felt; maybe she just missed it and wished she had more. Maybe she was just being greedy. "Well, as I may have said before, I'm glad that all the other girls from the academy have taken care of you in my absence." She smiled her sweet, gentle smile.

"Yeah." Natsuki sighed, and then started to laugh. "All the girls except Nao," She corrected, grinning as she stared off into nothing, as thought she were watching a small, invisible movie reel of al her memories with Nao since they made amends. "She has not changed one bit. On weekends or one-or-more-day holidays, we would go to the clubs or bars and play drinking games for most of the night… that is until she spots yet another guy to gag and tie up and leave in an alleyway…" The last part was muttered under her breath while skeptically quirking a cobalt brow. She went on, "The next morning would always be hell though and I'd end up in bed with Mai nursing me back to my feet."

"Yes, hangovers are indeed painful, aren't they?" Shizuru commented, not questioned, while reaching for her own glass of wine.

Natsuki gave a light, absent-minded nod. "Yep, they are a bi-…" Abruptly stopping herself, her eyes slowly widened in realization and surprise as if suddenly in awe. Whipping her head around, she gave the girl next to her something close to a gawking stare. "You've been drunk??" She exclaimed out of her own dumbfounded surprise at the tawny-haired girl, who was just releasing her lips from the rim of the glass she had just taken a seemly-taken sip out of.

Shizuru just turned to her with a raised brow and a smirk. "Do you not think I'm capable of it?" She asked curiously.

Slightly slack-jawed from amazement, Natsuki answered, "No!... Well, yes, I suppose, but… N-no!!" Or at least tried to answer.

Shizuru couldn't help but laugh as Natsuki struggled with her response. "Why not?"

"B-because you just too… you!" She wasn't sure whether to stare or just burst into laughter at the thought. Sure, a friggin _nun_ got herself crazy-drunk at those parties, and maybe she didn't see that coming then either, but _Shizuru_?? She never remembered Shizuru getting drunk then either. She was curious as to what had made her decide to drink whenever it was that she did.

When crimson eyes gazed at her curiously, she tried to explain. "You're just always so… I dunno, I guess…" Calming down, Natsuki's gaze seemed to move from Shizuru's to the golden wine, the flames making warm-colored rainbows inside. "I guess when I look at you, I always see the student council president and head of the flower arranging and tea ceremony clubs. I guess it's just kinda hard to switch from the you then to the you now…" She looked back to Shizuru, who still held a curious expression. "You weren't even drunk at the last karaoke party we all had the day of your graduation."

Shizuru smirked. "I couldn't afford to be drunk then anyway, I had to take you home."

Natsuki rolled her eyes. "If you had gotten drunk _then_, who knows what the hell you coulda tried to do to…" She stopped herself, hesitatingly turning to the older girl. 'Mighta gone too far on that one…' She thought as she watched Shizuru's currently expressionless features. The tawny-haired girl turned her eyes to the fire, silent. 'Great,' Natsuki thought again, turning away in a sheepish embarrassment. 'I've upset her.'

As she ran her fingers through sapphire tresses, she heard the girl next to her begin to laugh. Confused, she turned to find a very much amused Shizuru continue to laugh enspite of herself. After a few seconds of just watching her, Natsuki soon found herself laughing with her.

"Yes, it was a very good think that I didn't get drunk that night." Still giggling, Shizuru shifted slightly in her seat so that she could rise more gracefully. She was about to make her way around Natsuki to walk to the doorway when she stopped. "Although you must know, Natsuki," The frequency of the younger girl's giggles severely dropped when she caught the suggestive hint in Shizuru's voice when she said her name. The taller girl turned and leaned in close to Natsuki's face, crimson eyes boring playfully into her own.

"You have become so very beautiful that…" – Natsuki was frozen like a statue as the other girl's hands laid themselves on either side of Natsuki as the lovely face and deep eyes came closer - "Whether I were drunk or not, I'd still worry of what I might do to you…"

With that, she used her tantalizingly playful abilities and gave a wink, leaving Natsuki speechless and slack-jawed again.

"Excuse me while I fetch a few blankets for you." Shizuru called from the doorway that went into the hallway.

The only think Natsuki could answer with was a very shaky, "Uh-huh…" When the Blue-haired girl could make herself movable again, the only thing she could think was, 'did that just happen?? Man, why didn't she just straddle me while she was at it!'

Natsuki then wished she hadn't have thought that because, somehow, a very graphic image of Shizuru straddling her while one hand held her face, and the other had a fist-full of cobalt hair tight in it as Shizuru was pulling the younger girl's head back, the taller girl's face dipping over her, parted lips desperately reaching for Natsuki's own pink one's.

Natsuki gulped and blinked and shook her head – anything to get that image out of her head and slow her racing heart.

A low "Ruff!" brought her attention back to Duran, who looked back up at her with his head turned slightly to one side, as though curious as to what his owner's friend was doing.

"Sorry boy," She brought her hand back to pet and rub and scratch the sides of his face and neck. As she gave the dog the attention he very much loved, her mind still drifted to places she really didn't want it to again. She knew it was just Shizuru being expertly playful as always and shouldn't think too much of it. "It's just…" Murmured softly to herself, "Her eyes were so…"

"I think I have everything for you."

Natsuki jumped as she heard the taller girl come up behind her. She turned to find Shizuru holding three blankets, a pillow, and the silk nightwear she said she'd lend her.

"I don't want you to get cold in the middle of the night." Shizuru explained as she laid all of the blankets down on the couch a few seats away from Natsuki. "And I hope this will do. It should fit you," Natsuki eyed the long-sleeved black silk pajamas that Shizuru held up for her to see. After she nodded her approval, Shizuru laid them back on top of the blankets. "Do you think you'll need anything else?" The older girl inquired.

Natsuki shook her head. "No, this should be it." She responded softly. "What time is it?"

As Shizuru moved to sit back down on the arm of the couch again, she looked at the small, golden-faced and wooden-framed clock on top of the fireplace's mantel – which also held a few smaller vases of beautifully-arranged flowers and maybe two elegantly framed photos which Natsuki couldn't clearly see from afar. "It's a little after eight." She answered.

"Wow, the day really did go by fast." Natsuki commented, shifting her leg from underneath Duran so that she wouldn't feel so much drool pooling on her knee. "You don't go to bed _this _early, do you?"

Shizuru shook her head. "No, or at least rarely; Perhaps when I'm really exhausted from strenuous working days or if worn out after spending a day with a suitor, I might. But, otherwise, no." She eyed her for a minute, and then chuckled. "I'm sure you never do."

"Oh God no." Natsuki's face scrunched up in distaste at the idea. "Not even on days when I'm struggling with a hangover." Keeping her eyes on Duran's face against her lap, she couldn't help but think back to when Shizuru had mentioned to suitors again. "Do you… want kids?" She asked tentatively, peering up at Shizuru through the corner of one eye.

Shizuru looked down at her silently for a moment, considering her answer. "Someday, yes." Curiously, she raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Do you?"

Natsuki face flustered for a moment. "Um, maybe… I dunno, I haven't really thought about it much so I'm not totally sure yet." Trying to make sure that the girl above her didn't see the color of her face, she removed Duran from her lap and stood up, casually walking to the mantel and tried to take interest in the photos. She did immediately. "You framed this picture?" Finally turning to her, she gave the cherry-eyed girl an odd, inquisitive look.

It was a picture of all of them at the beach, although none of them looked like they were at all ready for getting their picture taken. It looked like someone just came up and took a picture of them while in a normal yet chaotic moment; some of them weren't even paying attention while others were playfully grabbing onto people (at the surprise of the person they happen to be grabbing onto, i.e. Mai and Mikoto, Shiroi and Tate, Aoi and Chie). She finally found herself way off to the side, waist-deep in the ocean waters, flinching yet grinning as she turned away from the water that was splashed onto from the laughing Shizuru nearby. Now she saw why Shizuru found it worth framing, but she didn't mention it.

"It's just one of my favorites since it just catches everyone at their best." Shizuru explained as she came next to Natsuki to gaze at the picture herself. "I have many more in my photo albums."

Natsuki waited a few beats before responding with, "I'll have to take a look at them sometime. It's been a while since I looked at my own."

"I can get them from my library if you want." Shizuru suggested.

Natsuki paused, and then gave a smirk-like grin. "Sure."

Shizuru smiled brightly. "I'll be right back." She turned and soundlessly left back to the hallway.

As Natsuki looked thoughtfully away, a full-fledged grin slowly appeared as she turned back to the photo of them at the beach.

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"D-yah!" Natsuki gave a short yelp as the volleyball smashed against the back of her head. With a low growl, she grabbed ball and abruptly turned in the hot sand back to the players, giving a dangerous eye to anyone who might've been the culprit.

Midori waved her hand, the other at the back of her head. "Heh-heh, sorry Natsuki!" She sweat-dropped.

Natsuki rolled her eyes until she heard Nao laughing a small ways from her. She turned and looked at her just as she was rolling onto her back from the laughter. A knot forming just above one twitching eye, she rounded up her arm and rocketed the ball right into the side of Nao's face, making her yelp.

"Urgh, Kuga!!" Nao yelled, giving her a death glare.

"That's what you get!" Natsuki yelled back, grinning evilly.

"You'd better prepare for what you're going to get in return, Kuga!" Nao threatened, teeth gritting inside a sinister smile. It looked like the redhead was about ready to run to her when another voice nearby called out.

"Now, now, you two, play nice. We're not here to fight." Shizuru reminded in a calm voice as she was lying atop a purple beach towel, soaking in the sun.

"Tell that to her!!" The two girls yelled in unison, making them turn to glare at each other. After a minute, the two silently waved the white flag and grudgingly went back to their towels.

Natsuki flopped herself back down on her towel next to Shizuru. Hugging her knees to her chest, she looked out to the shimmering ocean and sighed. She hadn't gone in yet but she definitely planned to. Her eyes widened slightly as she saw a small school of dolphins leap out of the ocean's surface only to dive back in again. Her gaze rose up to the cloud-spotted sky, watching the white puffs drift passed. Waves crashing against sand and rock; leaves of tall trees wafting in the soft breeze; the periodic "phh-bang" of a well-used volleyball and shouts and calls from the players; the wonderful warmth of the sunlight. Apart from Nao being present, it seemed like a perfect day.

"See anything interesting?" Shizuru asked curiously, not looking up.

"A couple dolphins, that's it." Natsuki shrugged like it wasn't a big deal. She rested her chin between her folded knees. "I've heard they're fun to swim with." She added.

"Why don't you?" The ocher-haired girl asked as she rolled over to face Natsuki, who gave her an odd look.

"They're a little hard to catch up with."

Shizuru gave a light nod, the tip of her ponytail brushing against one shoulder. "Perhaps, but I know that you're just as good of a swimmer. I'm surprised you haven't gone in yet."

"I'm planning to, I guess I'm just saving the best for last." Natsuki assured, still looking out into the distance.

"Hmm, I've already had my 'best' happen." The older girl stated nonchalantly enough that it made Natsuki curious, just as Shizuru intended.

"Oh yeah? What was that?" Not thinking as she asked, she ran a hand through her long hair as the breeze played with it.

Shizuru closed her eyes and grinned at the sky. "Putting sunscreen on your back, and arms, and legs." She opened one ruby eye and peered happily at the flustering girl next to her.

"I could have done my arms and legs myself you know!"

"Yes, but I knew you would miss the backs of them so I figured I might as well do those for you too." Shizuru smiled playfully as she stretched along her soft beach towel.

Finding herself watching as the girl next to her stretched her lithe form out of the corner of her eye, she abruptly turned away, roughly folding her arms in a pout. "Yeah, well…" She drifted off.

"Hmm, Natsuki has such soft, white, perfect skin too. I enjoyed every minute of it." Shizuru continued teasingly.

Natsuki's eyes went wide then quickly went tightly shut as she buried her burning face into her knees. "Shizuru! Cut it out!"

Shizuru giggled happily as she laid one bent leg over the other. "Forgive me, I try, but I can't…"

"I can tell!" Natsuki yelled over her shoulder, her face still cherry red. She roughly rubbed her somewhat sandy hands over her face to try and fight the blush away.

"…Because Natsuki is _far_ too cute!" Finally looking over to Natsuki's nearly exposed back, she took her index finger and drew a teasingly light line from the younger girl's nape all the way down, over the dark blue ties of her bikini, to her lower back.

Natuki's slouching posture finally shot straight up, eyes now the size of golf balls and the iris of her eye dilated significantly. "Th-that's it!!!" Natsuki exclaimed so loudly that their friends nearby couldn't help but stare at her in curiosity as she shot up to her feet so fast it was like rocket soaring up into the sky. "I'm going swimming!!" Ignoring the strange stares, she gunned for the foamy waves and dove in.

Without looking, she giggled and calmly waved as she heard the muffled stomps of bare feet against sand and the final _splash_. "I'll be joining you in a minute, my adorable Natsuki."

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"Wow, it's amazing just how drunk those two could get…" Natsuki commented as she pointed at a picture of a flustering and grinning Midori and Youko, an arm hooked around the other's neck for balance, the hand of the other holding a bottle of liquor. "But then again they _were_ part of the faculty, so maybe I shouldn't be surprised; teachers always tend to have _some_ kind of secret."

Shizuru laughed as she turned another page to a picture of Haruka and Yukino in the gymnasium – Haruka yelling and pointing to somewhere off camera; Yukino giving a sweet smile and shy wave.

"I always wonder how those two are doing." Shizuru commented as she gazed at the photo. Natsuki and Shizuru sat next to each other on the floor, their backs against the couch.

Natsuki tilted her head back in thought. "Um, last I knew, they are sharing an apartment and going to a college maybe thirty minutes away from mine. Mai and I run into them from time to time; haven't really asked how they're really doing though."

Shizuru just nodded in reply and went to the next page – a photo of Mai, Mikoto, Tate, and Reito at the graduation picnic. Mikoto, as always, latched onto Mai's midriff, making her lean onto a sweat-dropping Tate for balance, and Reito just giving a charming smile and a shrug while next to Mikoto.

"Somehow they always look like one big happy family together." Natsuki observed.

"I guess having drama interlinked between them can do that." Shizuru theorized simply before she peered in Natsuki's direction. "Surprised that I don't have a lot of you in these albums?" She smirked.

Cobalt brows rose as she just noticed this. "Yeah, actually…"

Shizuru giggled softly as she shifted more comfortably against the couch. "That's because you have your own album; just so that if I want to look at you, I can find you easier."

Though a little uneasily, Natsuki nodded. "Makes sense."

"And don't worry, I don't have anything explicit in that album," The taller girl assured.

Natsuki's eyes widened at calm soft ones for a second; she hadn't considered that, but knowing Shizuru… "Well, um, thanks." She went to continue looking at the pictures.

"Those are in my private stash." Shizuru added, seemly turning away and nonchalantly running a hand through her hair. She laughed when the younger girl looked at her in horror. "I'm just kidding!" Natsuki's skeptical expression and fake laugh only made the tawny-haired girl laugh more. After flipping and reminiscing through a few more pages of photos, Shizuru couldn't help but grin softly was she heard the younger girl start to yawn. "Maybe you should get some sleep." She suggested after waiting a beat.

Natsuki's jade eyes turned to the soft crimson ones. "I'm awake." She protested.

"Your yawn just now begs the differ." Her smile widened, as the yawn made Natsuki seem all the more cuter.

When Natsuki found herself trying to blink the sleep out of her eyes, she rolled her head away and sighed. "Fine." Shizuru noticed the reluctant tone and grinned briefly to herself as she heard and felt the girl next to her pull herself to her feet. Natsuki stretched her back before absentmindedly bending to help Shizuru up from the floor.

Murmuring her "thank you" as she pulled the albums into her arms, Shizuru gave the azure-haired girl a sweet smile. "We don't have to wake up at any specific time, so you can sleep in as late as you want. Do you want me to take Duran upstairs with me so that he won't bother you in the middle of the night?" She asked, indicating the curled ball of fur dozing near the fireplace on a dirty oval-shaped rug.

Natsuki shook her head, "No, he can stay down here. I don't mind at all."

Shizuru's smile widened. "I knew that would be your answer." She expertly maneuvered between the coffee table and Natsuki's knees. Natsuki pinked at the closeness, but just turned so that her chin was almost touching her shoulder. "Sweet dreams." Shizuru pecked her lips lightly against Natsuki's temple, earning a flinch and a "hey!" before happily striding off. She had just gotten passed the doorframe when, with a hand on the frame, stopped, and leaned her body back through the doorway. "Oh, and by the way, if you feel a body on top of you in the middle of the night or the morning, that would be me, not Duran." She calmly warned.

"Yeah, yeah I kn-wait what!?" Natsuki had been waving her hand dismissively until she finally caught on, turning to her wide-eyed and shock-faced.

Shizuru burst into laughter. "Oh Natsuki, I'm so glad you haven't changed." Wiping a single tear away, she finally went off to bed.

Somehow Natsuki knew from the start of her last sentence that Shizuru would most likely be teasing her again, but she always hated how it took her a while to realize it.

Grumbling at both herself and Shizuru, she went to lay the blankets and pillow on the couch. After she slipped out of her day clothes and into her silk pajamas, she then went to slide underneath the blankets only to find that Duran had already claimed them for her.

She smirked, leaning on one leg, folding her arms, and giving him the eye. All he did in return was give her a look saying, 'What's that look for?'

"Off." She snapped her fingers and pointed away from the couch. Reluctantly, he got off, letting her slide in, then jumped back on top of her again, releasing an "Oof!" from his newfound love. She chuckled and let him get comfortable on top of her.

Staring at the fire, she watched the flames twitch and lick the air and blackened brick. 'Today… was a very weird day…' She thought to herself, raising a skeptical brow.

'The both of us had fun at least, although I'm sure for slightly different reasons.' She recalled the things she did with Shizuru that she was never able to do at home, while Shizuru just had her fun in many different ways. She shifted on the couch to hug her pillow, making Duran shift with her.

'At least I was able to relieve whatever tension she was feeling and took her mind off of things she didn't want to think about.' She sighed and hugged her pillow tighter, finally letting her tired eyes close.

'But I _will_ get her back for her teasing ways one of these days.' Unknowingly, she grinned to herself at the thought. A couple of seconds later, her eyes shot open, eyes only slightly dilated. 'But not in _that_ way!'


	8. The Price for Being Me

Okay! This one is a lot longer than the last one so I hope you all like it. Some things were purposely left out of this chapter so that I could put it in the next one, so if some things seem missing or out of place, they'll be added/explained in the next chapter (to the best of my creative ability). The reason why I didn't put it all in was because it could beef up the next chapter a little and it would have taken longer to figure out how to fit it all in and conclude and work in one chapter. I admit the chapter seems a little poor for me, but i dunno, so tell me what you think!

Do not own Mai-HiME characters.

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Chapter 8: The Price for Being Me

Natsuki's eyes fluttered open and her nose wrinkled slightly as she heard a dull sizzling sound from afar. Before she could even think to bring herself up from the couch, Duran suddenly jumped off of Natsuki's body. She let out a small yelp as she felt claws slide hard against her covered skin. Hearing Duran run wildly out of the room and into another, claws now clattering and shuffling against wooden floors, she groaned as she brought herself up onto her arms.

Blinkingly looking around, she noticed that the fire had been extinguished and the room was now a warm tan-orange color. She turned and looked over the back of the couch, only to immediately duck back underneath.

"Uhh, oww… damn sun.." She groaned in response to the midmorning sunlight shooting into her eye from the window at the opposite side of the room.

Rubbing her eyes with her thumb and forefinger, she blindly forced herself to stand. Her first attempt failed as she rolled off the couch (realizing that her blankets somehow ended up on the floor which she landed on).

'_Thump-bang!'_

"Ow," Natsuki held her throbbing kneecap in her palm, eyelids clenched tightly shut as the first few painful throbs subsided. She opened one eye to glare at the leg of the coffee table that caused the pain.

Rolling onto all fours, she finally brought herself up to stand. Stretching her arms, legs, and back, she walked sleepily to the doorframe, hearing small cracking sounds from her stiff joints. Leaning her body against the doorframe for a few seconds, she slowly followed the sizzling sounds.

Duran barked and growled impatiently. "Hey now," She heard Shizuru laugh, "Don't worry, I'm getting your food." Natsuki followed the sounds that seemed to be coming from within the room just passed the curved staircase.

Feet padding against wooden floors, Natsuki stepped into kitchen. Silently leaning against the doorframe, her eyes wandered over rich cherry wood cupboards, and counters with black and gold granite counter tops. An island counter had metal-backed, black leather-seated stools around it. The appliances and even cooking utensils looked state-of-the-art without looking complicated and pretentious. It was as charming as the living room, except, of course, more built and arranged for cooking.

Natsuki watched as Shizuru, unknowing of her presence, laid a plate of food in front of the anxious and excited Duran, tail swishing wildly when he was finally able to dive in. The chestnut-haired girl's long, deep blue, silk robe wafted in the air as she strode to the stove to continue tending to whatever food she was cooking in the frying pan. She didn't look any different from last night - no imperfections after awakening, like Natsuki very often had – as her hair was neatly brushed and loose around her shoulders.

Natsuki folded her arms, observing while Shizuru slid the food around the hot plate with a spatula. She silenced the laugh that she felt in her throat which came when she realized that she enjoyed this – just watching her. She didn't care how long it would take Shizuru to notice her; for some strange reason, she found that _this_ was very worth the wait.

After a few minutes, she decided to speak in her casual tone, "When did you learn how to cook?" She quirked a brow.

Surprised, Shizuru turned then smiled at the cobalt-haired girl. "Good morning, Natsuki." She started, "When, after the first suitor, they realized that I still had not much experience in cooking, my mother made our house cook teach me. My skills aren't totally perfected yet, I'll admit, but I'm still learning – or teaching myself now, really. I hope you slept well?"

"Yeah, I did, thanks." Natsuki got a pleasant smile in reply before the other girl turned back to continue cooking. Natsuki stepped closer and looked over Shizuru's shoulder curiously. "What are you making?" She asked as she watched Shizuru sprinkle grated cheese over a flat, fluffy circle of scrambled eggs.

"An omelet." Shizuru continued sprinkling diced pieces of meat and vegetables over the egg., bubbles of butter exploding around it. "I hope you like eggs, making an omelet was one of the first things I learned." She added cheerfully, slowly folding the egg over.

"Yeah, I like eggs." Natuki assured, already loving the aroma.

"You slept in rather well this morning, I'm glad." Shizuru commented.

Natsuki turned to look at the side of Shizuru's face. "Really? What time is it?" She asked, looking around for a clock of some kind.

"Ten-thirty." Shizuru answered before she could find one.

"Oh wow, yeah, I guess that is pretty late." For a moment she was surprised, but that diminished rather quickly since she did remember some times where she would wake up sometime in the afternoon after a night of drinking with Nao. Not knowing what to say for a moment, she let her eyes leisurely wander around while still having her chin hover just over Shizuru's shoulder. "How late did you sleep?" Unconsciously, she let herself gently lean against Shizuru's back. She thought she felt the other girl tremble for a moment.

"Ah… erm-till eight, I think."

Not catching the initial hesitancy of the response, Natsuki looked at her again with a quirked brow. "You waited two and a half hours for me? What did you do?" She asked, very curious and feeling slightly guilty.

Shizuru closed her eyes for a minute before she answered, "I took a shower, then put on some of my more comfortable clothes, and went through some more business-work concerning my family's company." She explained blandly.

Natsuki looked at her gravely for a moment before slowly turning away, sighing grimly.

"Is something wrong?" Shizuru briefly turned to her, being careful to not lose their breakfast.

"I…" Natsuki paused, hesitating to continue as she was afraid of what she might get in response. She forced herself, for her best friend's sake. "I'm afraid that I'm burdening you." She felt the bewildered crimson eyes immediately turn to her but refused to meet them, knowing that if she did, she'd probably lack the courage to keep going. "It may be just me, but… I feel like I might be in the way of something that… that may be really good for you." Surreptitiously drawing circles on the counter that looked like a starry night sky with her finger, she tried to ignore the intense eyes that felt like they were piercing through her. She couldn't blame Shizuru if she was mad or upset at her, but she couldn't help these feelings.

Shizuru was silent for a few seconds; pausing, just to observe and take in her best friend's distant and troubled expression. "Thank you, Natsuki," She started softly, gently, like she was comforting a child. "But, please, let me decide what may or may not be good for me. I don't mean to be rude when I say that, Natsuki. It's just that I already have enough people deciding what may be good for me, and I don't want you to be thinking like them as well." There was no sign of anger in that thick Kyoto-ben tone, just plea.

Natsuki nodded but still didn't turn to her and Shizuru could still see some uneasiness deep within those jade eyes.

Soundlessly, she took her chin between her fingers so that she would make those beautiful forest-like orbs look into her own. When she did, the younger girl was captured. "And Natsuki, always know that you will _never_ be a burden to me." Her words were strong, confident; Natsuki could see it, and she was sinking in. Shizuru went on, "I have more trust in you than anyone else. In fact, to me, you are my greatest gift." Shizuru smiled her most beautiful, genuine smile.

Natsuki was left without words, only softened eyes and a faint blush. Shizuru still held her chin even though Natsuki had no intention of turning away now; she couldn't even if she wanted to.

"Th… thank you…" Natuski tried to speak, but she couldn't. She could only mouth the words. When Shizuru smile widened, she pushed away all of her resistances and laid her cheek against Shizuru's, as though to give an awkward hug or an attempt to lay her forehead against the older girl's.

Shizuru's eyes widened only slightly before her eyes and smile turned fond. She closed her eyes and leaned her cheek gently against Natsuki's, letting herself fall into the warmth. "The only reason why I would be disappointed or upset at you, Natsuki," She went on when she remembered the hesitancy Natsuki had when she tried to tell the chestnut-haired girl her feelings, "Would be because you thought that you are leading me in the wrong direction, and didn't think I was thinking for myself when I do." She spoke softly, idly playing with the tips of cobalt sapphire hair that had fallen over her shoulder.

Natsuki's eyes closed tightly shut for a minute – a pained expression of guilt and regret. "I… I'm sorry. I just…"

Shizuru shushed her, her breath caressing the other girl's ear, making her involuntarily shiver. "I know, and I'm happy that Natsuki cares so much for me and was just looking out for me."

Natsuki was about to assure her that she did care for her when she felt a small nose brushing against her own and found that her lips were no longer able to move – they were taken… by Shizuru. Her eyes opened when she felt warm, soft lips press gently against her own, mind trying to forego the initial spark she felt at the touch. Shizuru's eyes were closed, not in the hopeful, please-don't-hate-me-for-this way, but in a way as if she was dreaming and very comfortable, as if it was the millionth time that they had done this and were accustomed to it.

Though the younger girl did feel her heart beat grow more rapid, she didn't pull away but nor did she advance. She just stood there and let Shizuru's lips softly, chastely caress hers. After two seconds, she realized that she didn't want this person who meant so much to her to think that she was getting a negative impression back from her just because she her response to the kiss was neutral. With pinking cheeks, she fluttered her eyes shut and shyly moved her lips in time with Shizuru's, trying to find and keep the soft, slow rhythm.

Shizuru's lips curved into a mild smile and her brow lifted in surprise as she felt the other girl return her token of gratitude. She tried not to laugh when she noticed that the small but full lips were trembling nervously against her own. Even though she felt like she could do this for the rest of the morning and afternoon; even if she knew that her neck would surely become stiff from the way she had it craned round to Natsuki's childlike face; she decided to give the relatively inexperienced girl a break.

Shizuru slowly released Natsuki's lips, a soft _'smack'_ sounding from the gentle release of subtle suction of lips-against-lips. Opening her eyes, she giggled when she saw a flushing pink color speckled on the younger girl's cheeks. "That was a 'Thank you.'" She whispered when deep jade eyes finally opened to meet her own.

"I know." Natsuki's voice came out hoarsely, making Shizuru giggle again while her face pinked even more. She shyly looked away from the adoring eyes to try and bring herself back to reality. When she did, her nose wrinkled as she sniffed a distasteful odor. "Is something burning?"

They both looked down and gasped when they saw that Shizuru's creation was smoking and shriveling away. Natsuki hurriedly took the blackened frying pan and nearly threw it into the sink where she doused it in cold water, wincing as she felt drops of scorching butter explode and fly onto her arms. Backing away, she watched as Shizuru opened up the windows to release the smoke, helping it escape by waving a dish towel around in the air.

Natsuki coughed, waving her hand to try and get the smoke away from her face. When she was finally able to see the room clearly, she turned to Shizuru, who was leaning against the counter, panting slowly.

The older girl looked at her with an apologetic expression. "I'm so sorry about that. I should have paid more attention."

Natsuki shook her head. "It was both of our faults. No harm done anyway."

Shizuru approached her. "Are you okay? You looked like you had burned yourself." She asked concernedly.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just some specks of grease got on me, that's all." Natsuki shrugged as she rubbed her arms. "But it doesn't hurt now."

The other girl sighed in relief. "That's good. I thought you had hurt yourself." She turned back to the smothered remains of her breakfast for Natsuki and sighed again. "Oh dear… if only your lips weren't so tempting…" She said, still looking into the sink with a sorrowful expression.

Natsuki cleared her throat as her face flustered, her hand rubbing the back of her head sheepishly. "Well, erm, do you, um, have anything else?" She stammered, trying to change the subject so that she could bring the color of her face back to normal.

Shizuru turned to her with the apologetic look on her face again. "Fruit, toast, and bagels. Will that do?" She asked hopefully.

Natsuki nodded, "Yeah, that's fine. I don't need anything special." When she saw the morose look still on the other girl's face, she came closer and stroked her back with her hand. "There's always next time." She assured with a smile.

Shizuru gave her a small smile back. "Okay."

At the older girl's command, Natsuki seated herself on one of the stools by the island counter while she prepared their breakfasts for them. Ten minutes later, both girls had bagels, mixed fruit, buttered toast and tea/orange juice in front of them. Duran came up and popped a squat next to Natsuki's leg, staring up at her longingly for a generous hand.

"I guess there must always be a price for pleasure." Shizuru commented casually before taking a grape into her mouth.

Natsuki looked at her with a quirked brow. "What do you mean?" She asked with a full mouth, taking her a few minutes for her to realize what the girl on the opposite side of the table was talking about. She then blushed, quickly looking down and continuing to eat to hide it. "Uh, y-yeah, I guess so."

Shizuru just looked at her and started to laugh deep within her throat, making opposite girl very nervous since it always sounded devilish. "So, my dear Natsuki found our kiss to be pleasurable?" She didn't make it sound like a question.

Natsuki stared at her, getting redder and redder under playfully-glinted wine-red eyes closely observing her. Out of anxiety and pressure for what to say, her mouth seemed to open and close several times before she could finally make words. "I didn't say that." She stated bluntly.

"True, but you _did_ seem to imply it in your answer just now." The older girl backed confidently, gracefully placing a sliced strawberry on her tongue.

Natsuki fumbled for a response, fidgeting as though she was sitting on something uncomfortable. She glanced away. "W-well, who doesn't find receiving a kiss pleasurable?" She went to stuff her face with fruit again.

"Someone who doesn't want it or didn't find it enjoyable," Shizuru answered with a knowing smirk. "And forgive me if I'm wrong, but it seemed to be neither for you."

Natsuki swore she saw the other girl mischievously lick the juice from a sliced pineapple on her fork. Surely, it was just her.. Blushing, she looked back down at her plate, playing with her fruit with her fork. "It was just a "Thank you" kiss, right? So, there's no need to delve so deep into the details." Her tone was purposefully stern and blunt.

Seeing what the other girl was trying to say – "please change the subject" – her mischievous smile formed into a more legitimate one. "You're right, forgive me." After a few more minutes of silence, Shizuru glanced up at her and grinned in amusement.

Natsuki glanced up, catching Shizuru's grin for the split-second she was able to see it before other girl looked back down again, continuing with her breakfast. The younger girl looked at her quizzically. "What? What's so funny?"

"I can see that you definitely did sleep very well." Shizuru commented, still grinning but trying to act casual. Normally she was very good at that, but in this case it was rather hard, especially since it was Natsuki.

Natsuki quirked a brow in confusion, eyes darting to the side then back to Shizuru with bewilderment. "What do you mean?"

"I don't think you want to know, but if you do," – she pointed behind her, near the stove – "use the microwave." She continued with her breakfast, the sides of her mouth still curving upward despite herself.

Curiosity overwhelming her, she held onto the edge of the countertop as she leaned herself and her stool deeply over so that she could look into the microwave. When she looked at it, all she saw was the black door. When she switched her eyes to look at it more shallowly…

"What th-aaAAAAAHHHH!!!" _'WHOMP-BANG-CLATTER!'_

"Natsuki!!"

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"I told you that you might not want to know…" Shizuru noted as she weaved her way around the curvy roads back to the city.

"Yeeah bwell, ew cooda dot tolnd mbe!" Natsuki argued.

"Well, I didn't want you to become too embarrassed if you discovered how sleep-worn you looked by yourself, so I thought it'd be easier this way." Shizuru explained with a shrug.

"Uhhuh, bwell apparendly id wasen…" Natsuki winced in pain as she tried to shift herself more comfortably in the leather seat, muttering a low "ow."

"How's your nose feeling?" Shizuru asked, briefly turning to Natsuki to see how much pain the younger girl was now.

Natsuki let out a long, sigh-like groan as she removed the icepack wrapped in paper towels from her throbbing, multi-colored nose. "I think the feeling is starting to come back…" She answered before tightly closing her eyes while rolling her jaw and wiggling her nose like a rabbit. "Thanks for the-" She indicated the icepack by waving it in front of her so that Shizuru would know what she was talking about.

"No problem at all, Natsuki." The older girl responded kindly. "You had me so worried when I saw you fall over with your stool, I was afraid you had hurt yourself even more than this."

Natsuki paused, eyes looking at the road. "Emb sorry." Her voice was soft as she placed her icepack back onto her nose.

"It's okay, I'm just glad you're alright. I know it'll be something to laugh at later." Shizuru replied confidently, a smile grazing her face as she glanced at the girl next to her, who was back into her shirt and sweatpants, hair and face back to normal and not the wind-witch look they previously had.

'I'm surprised she still kissed me even when I looked like _that_.' Natsuki thought to herself, wanting to ask the other girl but not wanting to bring the subject up again. She remained silent on that thought but smirked lightly at the tawny-haired girl's comment. "Yeeah, emb surre id bwill be. Bwill Durand be okey alond ad yer house?"

"Yes, Duran will be fine. My neighbor, Miss Morisato, checks up on him for me when I'm out of town or can't be around to take care of him." Shizuru answered simply as she made her way off the ramp onto the city avenues.

"What are we going to do when we get back to your parent's house?" Natsuki asked, taking the icepack back off so that she could try to breathe again.

Shizuru shrugged then smiled. "Well, when you get dressed into some fresh clothes, maybe you could help me water the flowers of my favorite garden near the house?" She suggested warmly, turning to the girl next to her for approval.

"Okay, it looks like a nice day out too." Natsuki added as she pressed the side of her face against her window so that she could gaze up at the curved puffs of clouds outlined by rich sunlight.

Shizuru nodded in agreement, coming onto another ramp that led her onto an expressway and eventually to an exit onto the road that led onto the hill where the estate laid. The rest of the ride was spent in a comfortable silence until they finally came to the iron gate, which Shizuru opened with a handy remote she kept in her car.

Shards of sunlight swayed over the level path as they rolled through the curved driveway. Natsuki eyed the unfamiliar BMW in front of the mansion as Shizuru smoothly parked next to it. "Whose car is that?" She asked out of curiosity, somewhat blinded by the light reflecting from its impeccably polished surface.

"I don't know. I've never seen it before." Shizuru answered as she pulled herself out of the seat, Natsuki following suit. "Surely a senior associate from the company came to go over the books or business-matters with my mother and uncle." She assumed with a dismissive tone.

Natsuki didn't say anything as she heard the _click-beep_ of a car locking behind her. "Does that happen often?"

For some reason the younger girl didn't know, Shizuru turned and gave her a strange look before acting as though she had realized something. "On cars, normally yes; it does that to tell you that it's locked if you use this thing." – She indicated the car remote on her keychain – "I didn't know Natsuki had become so attached to motorcycles that she completely forgot how a car works."

Natsuki gave her a really odd look before nearly face-faulting. "No, not that! I'm talking about the associate-guy coming over to talk about business!" She tried not to run her hand down her face. 'When did you become this blonde??'

Shizuru blinked. "Oh. Well then, rarely. My mother usually doesn't like to be bothered at home but will only allow it if it's truly necessary." She finally answered, muttering an apology for before.

Giving a simple nod with a skeptically-quirked brow since the start of Shizuru's explanation, Natsuki followed as the ocher-haired girl led the way to the door. Her slender fingers were two inches away from the door when it suddenly opened, making both give a slight jump.

Shizuru's uncle looked back at them (mostly Shizuru) in surprise, then delight. "Oh good! I was wondering when you were going to return!" By this time, he wasn't even glancing at Natsuki at all, which irritated her only a little but, at the same time, didn't really care either.

Shizuru gave him a curious yet neutral look. "Why would that be?"

The uncle didn't answer, only stepped to one side as he brought a very familiar face forward into the doorway. Purple eyes blinked at Shizuru in mild surprise before the face gave a charming smile. "It's been a while, Kaichou-san."

Shizuru looked back with equal surprise then smiled her own sweet smile as she respectfully bowed with the coal-haired boy. "Indeed it has, Kanzaki-san."

When Reito rose, he turned to the girl next to her and smirked in amusement. "I'm relieved to see you're just as rough and rugged as ever, Kuga-san."

Finally managing to bring her widened eyes back to normal at the sight of him, cobalt brows knitted together at his comment. Bewilderedly, she looked down on herself and pinked at the sight of her wrinkled and spotted clothes. "Heh, yeah well…" Natsuki muttered as she tried in vain to brush off the layers of dog fur. She ignored the uncle's accusing eyes.

The purple eyes observed her more closely. "Looks like you injured yourself rather badly." He commented.

Eyes widening as she remembered, Natsuki covered her nose uncomfortably with her hand. "Oh, well yeah, it's kinda a long story." She glanced away from his eyes, annoyed at her contusion.

"Well, what brings you to Kyoto, Kanzaki-san?" Shizuru inquired, sweetly tilting her head to one side.

The tall boy smiled purposefully. "You."

Suddenly nervous, Natsuki could feel her heart begin to beat faster as she just watched the two converse. 'Don't tell me…'

Shizuru gazed back at the very well-dressed boy in surprise. "I beg your pardon?"

Shizuru's uncle then moved to stand next to Reito proudly, laying a hand on his shoulder. "He agreed to be your next suitor!" He exclaimed, grinning.

Natsuki's jaw nearly hit the floor; she was left to only stare speechlessly at the three. Why was this all happening so goddamn fast?? 'Talk about springing news on a person! And why the hell is Reito going off agreeing to be Shizuru's next suitor! I mean, how the hell did that pop up?? How did they possibly get him!?'

The younger girl's thoughts were going a mile a minute: 'I knew that Shizuru's family would have plenty of friends to pull strings from, but I had no idea they had _that _many strings! And I know Shizuru didn't have a relationship with him while in school; I was the closest one to her all through high school, so I knew the truth because she told me! So why the hell does he want to pull the "May I marry you?" bit now!? Does he really feel absolutely _no_ awkwardness by doing this!?' She tried to sigh as silently as she could, refraining from pinching the bridge of her nose. 'It's like I'm bordering the twilight zone here…'

"Natsuki?" Jade eyes darted up when she felt a hand softly squeeze her shoulder. Concerned eyes gazed back at her. "Are you alright? I called your name a few times and you didn't answer. Is something bothering you?" Shizuru asked gently, observing the other girl.

"Oh no," Natsuki's response was automatic as she quickly glanced away. "I'm fine." She looked around, noticing that Reito and Shizuru's uncle were gone. "Where'd they go?" She gestured toward the empty doorway with her head.

"My uncle went back to his office, and Kanzaki-san's waiting for me in the foyer. He hadn't been here long, so I told my uncle I'd show him around since he'll be staying." Shizuru explained calmly.

Natsuki gazed back at her incredulously. "You're not at all bothered that he wants to be your suitor? To possibly marry you? Are you serious in considering him??" She tried to keep her questions in and just go with this very strange flow, but she couldn't.

Shizuru released her shoulder and folded her arms over her stomach, gazing off into the trees. "I was rather surprised that he decided to do this; at least I'll have plenty of chances to ask him. I'll just have to see how this all goes. My uncle seems to already love him, so I know I have no choice… like the others." The younger girl caught the last words Shizuru muttered to herself but said nothing.

"So…" Natsuki fidgeted uneasily, suddenly finding an interest in the toe of her shoes. "I guess this cuts our day short."

Shizuru sighed dismally. "I'm afraid so. I'm very sorry about this; I didn't know he would come so soon." She went to hold Natsuki's arm and lay her chin on her shoulder but she expertly slipped away before she could wrap her arms around her.

"You don't need to try and give me the puppy eyes, Shizuru." She leaned against a support beam with her arms crossed over her stomach, giving the other girl a knowing look. "They don't work." She smirked. "And remember, I still have that motorcycle to work on anyway. Don't worry about it." She shrugged, although she wasn't sure who she was really talking to; Shizuru, or herself.

Shizuru just gazed at Natsuki for a second, surveying those aventurine eyes before giving a reluctant but calm nod. "Yes, that's true. Very well," Her gaze drifted toward her parked car, lingering there for a moment. "I haven't given you your tools yet. I recall there being some in the garage. Let me see if I can fetch some for you."

Natsuki watched as Shizuru descended the stairs and rounded to go one of the large doors leading into their garage on their house's lower level. Within a few minutes, Shizuru had returned with a lumpy leather sack. With a little effort of strength, she lifted it towards the younger girl, making the contents clatter. "I wasn't sure what you wanted, so I put in what I thought were the basic tools. I hope they'll do."

Taking the grease-stained bag, Natsuki peeked in the bag and nodded, holding it by the string. "I don't think the hammer will be very necessary, but thanks." She swung the bag over her shoulder, two fingers curled around the leather twine.

"You're very welcome, Natsuki." Shizuru smiled before turning to open the door. "I trust you know your way back to your room?" She asked as she gracefully slid it open.

"Yeah," Natsuki followed her inside, finding Reito sitting patiently by the center table of the foyer. He smiled at the two of them. Natsuki tried to return it.

"My apologies for keeping you waiting, Kanzaki-san." Shizuru chimed politely as she strode towards him.

He stood from his seat. "It's no trouble at all." He smiled again, surreptitiously glancing between the two girls just once. "Forgive me if I sound rude, but for some reason I find it quite the surprise to find Kuga-san here at a time such as this for you, Fujino-san."

"She asked me to come," Natsuki came in bluntly, a second after Reito had finished. "So I did." She fixed him with a cool stare.

Reito seemly shrugged, "I'm not at all complaining. It's a nice surprise to see you." His eyes gleamed with charm.

Natsuki just looked at him for a moment, as though unimpressed. "Yeah, you too." She turned to leave down a hallway. "I'll see you around. I'll have my cell phone with me if you need me, Shizuru." She added, glancing the older girl's way. After hearing Shizuru's approving response, she furtively listened to the other two's discourse of proceeding to show the new suitor around. Her fist unconsciously clutched and tugged on the inside of her pocket.

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"Let me talk a full look at you again…" Natsuki spoke allowed to no one in particular except the motorcycle. It leaned crookedly on its kickstand; grease and dirt smudges covered the shell and engine; the cracked headlight hung lifelessly by its multi-colored wires.

"Hmm..." She droned thoughtfully as she eyed it from different angles. "I don't know whether I should clean you up first or just get right at it… I don't want to accidentally ruin anything either way…"

She tapped her index finger against her chin as the debated in her head, then ultimately reached for the adjustable wrench. Squatting down, she went to fit the head onto the bolt when her phone vibrated in her back pocket. She jumped at the sudden feeling against her butt, nearly dropping the tool in her hand. Taking the phone out of her jeans, she looked at its face before quickly flipping it open and pressing it to her ear. "Hello?"

"_Hey, where'd you go? I haven't heard from you in a couple days."_ Mai's voice rang through.

"Yeah, sorry about that, I forgot to tell you Shizuru invited me to her house." Natsuki explained as she shifted herself so that she could sit with her back against the motorcycle.

"_She invited you?" _Mai asked as though surprised._ "That seems kind of out of the blue."_ She commented.

"Yeah, well, she needed me for something." She wasn't sure if she should tell everything or just leave it vague; she didn't want to talk nor think too deeply about it, but at the same time, she did. Her gaze moved down to the floor where she had been rolling pebbles between her fingers. She inwardly sighed in self-defeat, "She's getting married so she just needed me to be here with her, so…" She trailed off.

"_Fujino-san's getting married!?" _Mai exclaimed in shock and surprise.

Natsuki heard her say other things but she tried to talk over her so that she could explain. "Well, she's not getting married _now_, but her family is making her date suitors and this is supposedly the last one. You'll never guess who this one is."

"_Who?"_

Natsuki wasn't so sure if telling Mai this was a good idea, knowing their history, but now she had no choice. "Reito."

The line was silent for a minute. _"Oh… wow…"_ She sounded as though she was intrigued by this. _"Hm, I never expected that…and Mikoto never said anything to me so she must have not known either…" _She went on thoughtfully before continuing. _"Are you okay with it?"_

When Natsuki heard the worried tone, she fisted her hand as she roughly crossed her arm over her stomach, laying one leg over the other, brows only slightly furrowed. "Of course I'm okay with it! Shizuru is, so I will be too. I just find it a little weird after all that's happened, but I'll just let Shizuru decide what's good for her." She defended, remembering the older girl's words from that morning.

"_Well, everyone **did** think that they made a cute couple at school even though the rumors were false…"_ Mai noted, trying to be helpful even though she knew it probably didn't help much.

Natsuki could feel herself tensing even more. "Yeah, but that's not exactly the point _nor_ the issue here." Noticing that she was beginning to sound snappy, she tried to calm herself by taking a deep breath. "It's just, when I think about the festival and all, I… I just don't feel right." She admitted softly.

There was a beat of silence. _"Well, you _do_ know that Reito-san is no longer the Obsidian Lord, right? I mean, far from. So I don't see why you should be worried about that."_ Mai stated logically.

Natsuki found herself at a loss for words for a moment, she wasn't sure why. "Yeah, true. But what about you two? Didn't you-?"

"_He knew that I had feelings for Tate, so we decided it was best for us to be friends."_ Mai interrupted, purposely omitting the details. _"He **is** a good guy, you know._" She stated honestly._ "I mean, he's charming, patient, handsome, smart, thoughtful, swee-"_

"Yeah-yeah-yeah, I get the point already!" It was Natsuki's turn to interrupt, nearly yelling out of her growing irritability towards the way Mai so generously described him.

There was another silence from the other end of the line, it felt like the longest so far to the younger girl. Mai finally though hesitantly spoke, _"Now, I don't know the full history between you two – you and Fujino-san – only what you've felt comfortable enough to tell me and you know I've never pried, but…" _There was another brief moment of hesitancy, which made the girl listening more nervous by the second. _"Why does it sound like you are more afraid of them actually _working _as a couple than you are of them _not_?" _

Natsuki tried to speak, to defend herself anyway she could, to say that the thought was just plain stupid and that she'd never wish such a thing for Shizuru. But she couldn't. She couldn't talk; she couldn't think; she couldn't move; she couldn't even breathe. "I-I… That… She…" She was angry at herself; that she couldn't do all of the things humans were meant to do just by the cause of hearing that question. It wasn't fair.

As Mai heard the other girl struggle, she wasn't sure if what she did was something really bad or something really good. _"Why don't you just talk to her about it?"_

Natsuki brought her legs up to lean one elbow on her knee so that she could rest her forehead in her palm. She closed her eyes, the bothered expression still tainting her face. "I… I can't." She sighed, annoyed at the whole situation; at her cowardliness. Her voice became softer and softer as she continued. "I have to let Shizuru decide what she wants to do; where she wants to go with him in the whole marriage thing. She asked me this morning to let her decide what's best for her, so I will."

There was a comprehensive beat of silence. _"Yes, but her deciding what's best for her isn't the issue – it's your feelings."_

Natsuki's face scrunched up, ready to rip her hair out in frustration. "Argh! Damn feelings! Why the hell were feelings invented in the first place?! 'Makes things a whole lot harder!"

"_If feelings weren't invented, you and Fujino-san would probably never have met at all."_ Natsuki could hear the skepticism in the remark.

The younger girl's tensing shoulders dropped. "…Good point."

"_Well, why don't _**you**_ decide what's best for _**you**_ to do, not Fujino-san, and do what feels right to _**you**_. Okay?"_ After hearing Natsuki's grudgingly-spoken "Fine", she went on. _"I'm sorry to leave you like this, but if I don't start lunch soon, Mikoto will be gnawing at my ankles. If you need to talk, just call me."_

"Alright. Thanks, Mai." Natsuki could feel her muscles start to relax.

"_Hey, Fujino-san isn't the only close friend you've got to rely on, you know!" _

Natsuki smiled to herself. "Yeah. I know. Thanks for the reminder. I'll talk to you later, bye." After Mai returned her goodbye, Natsuki snapped her phone shut and sighed again. She propped her cheek against her fist, trying to make her anxious mind rest. 'Now I'm more annoyed because I don't even know what to do at all anymore. I mean, I understand what Mai said of what I should do, I just have no idea how to go about it.'

When Natsuki found herself getting lost in thought, she quickly cleared it and went back to the bike. She didn't want to think about it and get worked up over something that could affect her mood for the rest of her stay; she didn't want to seem different to Shizuru even though she felt different inside; _very _different. But, it was just stupid emotions anyway…

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Sighing heavily with growing fatigue, she swung the bag of tools lightly into an empty corner of her bedroom. Her face contorted uncomfortably as she flopped herself on top of her bed; she could feel her back and shoulders paying the price she took on spending the rest of the afternoon hunching over the bike. Her body throbbed in pain but she loved the feeling of being able to actually lie down on a comfortable mattress after a long day like this.

When she turned to gaze out the window, something in her sank when she saw how rapidly dusk was aging to night. She hadn't heard anything from Shizuru since they had separated that early afternoon. 'I guess he's a very interesting person to want to spend this much time with him.' She thought to herself, unconsciously sighing aloud in a morbid fashion. 'I never really took the time to get to know him, so I don't know.'

She propped her head up on her folded arms behind her, aimlessly eyeing the ceiling. She wondered if she was ever going to see the older girl in the morning, or if she'll be too preoccupied with Reito. Shizuru had said that sometimes she'd be with a suitor from as little as three days to over a week; she dearly hoped that it wouldn't be the latter in this case. Natsuki understood that Shizuru would need the days to estimate the potential of a bachelor, but she couldn't help admitting that waiting for her would be torture - not in the way of boredom either.

The cobalt-haired girl ran a hand over her face. 'I have to stop doing this; it's making me go insane… but, I mean, seriously! What could she _possibly_ be doing with him??' She made a growl-like sound at her burning curiosity and anxiousness.

"_Tick!"_

Natsuki's eyebrows knitted together in bewilderment as she heard a tapping sound.

"_Tick!"_

She shot up as she heard it again coming from her window. She approached as she heard a third and peered out through the glass. Her eyes wandered curiously over the trees until they followed the round object that flew up to tap against the glass again. She looked down and gave a befuddled look at the person below before pushing her window open.

"Good evening, Natsuki." Shizuru chimed from the grassy ground level, looking up at the girl whose hair was falling over her face as she leaned through the window.

"Shizuru, what the hell are you doing?" Natsuki asked the other girl with the oddest look.

"I'm trying to get your attention." Shizuru responded with a sweet grin as she released the collection of gravel stones in her hand.

"Well you coulda gotten it a little easier by just coming to my door!"

The older girl shrugged. "True, but I liked this idea much better. It's like one of those romance novels, is it not?"

Natsuki nearly fell to the floor, face beginning to burn. "What the hell are you? Twelve!?" She exclaimed. "And do you mean to tell me that you walked all the way around from the inside to this window?"

"No, Kanzaki-san and I were out here for a short while, and I figured, since Reito retired to his room and I was outside, might as well…" Shizuru explained, still smiling in a playful manner. "Come outside with me. We can catch up on where we left off when Kanzaki-san came."

"And where was that?" Natsuki asked skeptically, leaning her elbow on the window frame.

"Going to my favorite garden! I realize that it's a little too late in the day to be watering the flowers, but I can still take you through it." The younger girl could see the beckoning look in the crimson orbs even from the distance she was in. "I want to make up for lost time. Won't you please come?"

Natsuki sighed in defeat, even though she could feel something swell up in her chest as she went to grab a light jacket; something good, something that made her heart beat faster. "Fine." She replied exasperatedly, temporarily concealing the strange feeling in her chest. "I'll be there in a second." She shut the window, catching Shizuru's bright smile in the shadows of the growing night. The upwards-curve refused to leave her lips until she finally came within the tawny-haired girl's sight again.

Shizuru smiled her bright, genuine smile again. "Follow me." She started walking and Natsuki wordlessly obliged behind her. The younger girl noticed that Shizuru's stride was considerably slower than usual until Natsuki finally caught up at her side.

The blue-haired girl peered in Shizuru's direction, only to have her eyes meet the playfully-glinted wine-red ones. Natsuki sheepishly looked away, embarrassed that she had been caught. She pinked even more when she heard Shizuru giggle next to her.

"The last time you gave me a look like that was one of the first few times that we started doing things together in middle school." Shizuru noted, smiling. "Why so anxious now, Natsuki?"

"I-I'm not anxious!" Natsuki defended, looking away in a pout-like manner.

Shizuru laughed in her throat again. "Then why are your arms all tense?" She wrapped both arms around one of Natsuki's stiff ones, squeezing it as though she was trying to massage the muscles.

"I-I'm just surprised at how cold it is tonight, that's all." Natsuki stuttered again, trying to nudge the older girl away with her shoulder.

Shizuru slowly released her arm, her fingers unconsciously tracing the muscles. "Umn-hmn. I guess I hadn't really noticed, but you're right." The slightly taller girl had been wearing a very closely-fitting, v-neck cashmere sweater with another long-sleeved t-shirt underneath it, so it was just cold enough where a jacket wasn't necessary for her. She knew that it still didn't explain Natsuki's previous expression she had given her, but she decided to just let it go, thinking Natsuki was just being Natsuki (much to her delight).

They continued walking in silence, and this kind of silence unnerved the cobalt-haired girl to no end. Sure, the faint chirping of crickets and the rustling and swaying of leaves and grass and the faint moonlight might have set a rather relaxing mood, but none of it helped Natsuki's mindset; her mind was still buzzing for reasons she was only somewhat unsure of. One thing that she was sure of was that questions of her and Reito kept jutting into her head like a sharp knife stabbing a thick piece of meat repeatedly. It annoyed the hell out of her.

"Is something wrong, Natsuki?" Shizuru suddenly asked.

Natsuki turned to find the older girl gazing at her curiously as they walked. "No, why?" Now, she could feel herself becoming nervous; were her concerns really showing through that much?

"You just seem rather distant, that's all. You had a stern expression on your face, like you're troubled by something." The crimson eyes seemed to soften on her yet intensify at the same time. "It's been a long while since I'd seen that look on your face. I can't help but be concerned." She admitted softly.

Natsuki looked at her for a moment, then quickly looked away, trying to find and organize the right words to use. "Na-no it's nothing. I swear." She felt disgusted now, disgusted at herself and lying to her best friend; keeping things from her when she knew she shouldn't since she really did care about her and her feelings. But she couldn't help it. Remembering the things Mai said of her talking to her best friend about how she felt about her and Reito, she really wanted to do it, but she still had no idea how to express herself that way.

Soon they came to a field of flowers at the far back corner of the house. The flowers were an array of colors, most of which were crème-white. Japanese maple trees dotted the area; Natsuki guessed that it must be beautiful with the trees there to offer both shade and sunlight during the day. The sight alone, even at night, cleared her thoughts for the moment (something she was very thankful for). "This is nice." Natsuki commented as she walked closer to the edge of the field.

"Yes it is. I'm hoping the moon will be bright tonight." Shizuru responded as she started to cautiously step through the field to the center, surrounded by four leaning maple trees.

"Why?" The other girl asked curiously, trying to follow the older girl without crushing any of the blossoms.

Shizuru turned, and the playful glint was noticeable even in the shady darkness. "You'll _see_." She quirked a brow as she spoke deeply in her throat.

Natsuki growled; there were those merciless words again. Shizuru only laughed in return, waiting for the younger girl to reach her as she clasped her hands behind her back like she always did. When she did, Shizuru took her small but slightly rough hands and brought her down to sit next to her amongst the mixed flowers and tall blades of grass.

The tawny-haired girl couldn't help but smile at the girl next to her; she seemed nervous again, but in a cute way. Natsuki meekly fidgeted into a comfortable position, pressing the heels of her palms into the ground behind her while laying her legs out in front of her. Shizuru just tucked her knees underneath her into a rather lovely posture. The younger girl pinked as she noticed her eyes were wandering over her form under the light of the moon.

The younger girl moved again so that she was on her back, folding her arms behind her head again, forcing herself to look up at the slightly colored sky. "So, what did you and Reito do?" Speaking those words was like moving a life-size paper weight with bare hands – reluctant to move at all.

Shizuru sighed as she looked away, idly playing with her wavy ocher locks. "Well, after I showed him what there was to show of my parent's house, he suggested we go out to dinner in the Kyoto city, so we did. We talked for a little, caught up on each other and such, then walked through a bit of the city before we came back here and talked a little more while I took him through some of the more conservative gardens." She explained simply.

"Did… you have fun?" Natsuki cursed herself for hesitating, especially when she saw the brief flicker of curiosity on Shizuru's face.

"Yes, I did." Even though the answer came mundanely, the older girl saw Natsuki look away, disheartened. She gazed at Natsuki so intensely that she made sure the other girl felt it. "But I missed you." She whispered, bringing her body less then an inch away from that of the younger girl's.

Natsuki could feel the gaze; it was like a fire on her skin. She didn't look up, but just played with a blade of grass. She opened her mouth, but nothing came. She tried again, forcing her voice out. "I… missed you too." Finally forcing herself to peer up, her heart beat faster when she saw the deep, fond cherry eyes bore into her own. Her heart then began to race when Shizuru moved to lie on top of her, her head lying in the crook of her shoulder and her arm lying over the girl's stomach.

Natsuki tried to breathe as evenly as she could. "Mai called me today. She said that Reito's a really nice guy and would be a great husband." She noted almost shakily, feeling Shizuru's warm breath caress her bare neck.

Eyes closed, Shizuru pressed closer, absentmindedly nuzzling Natsuki's neck, making the younger girl gasp. "Mmmnn," she sighed, "I don't really want to talk about Reito anymore." She whispered. "I've spend half of a day with him, and even less of a day with you. Not disrespecting Kanzaki-san, I don't really care right now. Just you… again." Shizuru chuckled, but then paused as Natsuki remained still. The older girl looked up and saw the anxiousness back in the jade eyes. Afraid that she had done something wrong, she pulled away. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to make you uncomfort-,"

"No." Natsuki interrupted bluntly, making the girl on top of her look back down in surprise as she felt Natsuki's hand grab her arm to keep her still. Her ocher hair fell over her face as she looked down at the girl whose sapphire hair was spread beautifully over the grassy plane. "It's okay. I don't mind." Natsuki murmured passed her rapid breathing that she tired to calm. She gently pulled Shizuru back down on top of her.

Though slightly surprised, Shizuru complied gladly, laying her head back down near that of the other girl's. She sighed lightly before asking with mild curiosity, "So, what did you and Mai talk about?"

"Uh, n-nothing in particular." Nervously, the younger girl looked up to eye the flowers and tips of tall grass swaying leisurely over her head. After a few seconds of frantic thinking, she forced herself to speak again, trying to busy her free hand by running it through her hair a few times. "I… um… there's something I want to… uh, explain to you, but I don't exactly know how to put it into words." Natsuki could feel the other girl watching her, making her pause and hesitate as she tried to spill out whatever words she was able to. "I mean, I'm surprised that Reito hasn't even been here a whole day and I'm already… ugh! I don't know!..." She sighed exasperatedly, gently tugging a fist full of her hair in frustration.

Shizuru slowly brought herself up high onto her elbow so that she could gaze as deep into the other girl's tormented eyes as possible. Natsuki met her soft, warm eyes and read them; 'Tell me, Natsuki.'

'But I CAN'T!!' Natsuki's face contorted into anger: she furrowed her brows and gritted her teeth, growling loudly as she pushed herself roughly from the ground.

Before the older girl knew what was happening, hands brusquely took to cradling her face, holding her still as the girl in front of her lunged forward.

With her eyes clinched shut, Natsuki pressed her lips hard against Shizuru's. Her back strained as she tried to hold herself up to the other girl's level, not wanting to pull her on top of her; just to kiss her. Her body, her hands, even her lips were ridged as she stayed where she was. After a few seconds she finally let go, still holding Shizuru's beautiful face in her hands. She nervously peered into the other girl's eyes, which blinked a few times in surprise before turning even warmer and softer than before.

"Well, Natsuki, I have to say that I'm rather confused as to what kind of kiss that was…" Shizuru teased, trying to pull her grin back.

The younger girl's jaw nearly dropped from exasperation. "You know _damn **well**_ what kind of kiss that was! Don't make me explain it!" She bellowed, not knowing whether to hold her or choke her.

The tawny-haired girl didn't flinch, only smirked and gazed at her playfully. "Very well. It's just always rather difficult to tell what it is Natsuki truly wants… especially when Natsuki's words come in a kiss…" She murmured softly, her eyes quickly playing over raven-haired girl's face (taking a second longer on her lips).

Natsuki gulped as she turned her eyes to the side. "Um… sorry. I'm not very good with words so… _that_ was all I could do…" Her murmuring voice wavered as she slowly went to pull away.

Shizuru giggled softly, "I would have preferred that anyway." She reached up and took Natsuki's hands before they could retreat back to the younger girl's sides. Jade eyes snapped back uncertainly onto her face as she took her beautiful hands and laid them high onto her shoulders.

Leaning slowly closer, Shizuru smiled as she ran her hands up Natsuki's arms, trailing them down the sides of her lithe body until she was able to encircle her waist. Her eyes never left Natsuki's, and she could see that those eyes were becoming timid but accepting - something she was very happy about. She stopped coming nearer when she felt her body brush against Natsuki's; her smile widened as she felt her breathing rate slightly accelerate against both her stomach and her chin. Her lips were only an inch away from the smaller but supple ones, but she didn't go any closer; she just remained there, her eyes searching Natsuki's uneasy face.

"Are you okay, Natsuki?" Shizuru whispered in a low, innocent voice.

"I-I… um…" Natsuki tried to respond on her second attempt. She briefly clinched her eyes shut again and, in equal time, gripped Shizuru's shoulders; her rampaging heart rate almost refused to slow. Her eyes opened with a look of dead seriousness. "Don't tease me this way." She warned, not removing herself from the tawny-haired girl's embrace.

Shizuru's gaze upon her softened, her fingers gently caressing her lower back. "I may tease in many ways, but I'd never tease Natsuki about _this_." Her lips tenderly caressed Natsuki's lovely pink ones only once; it was enough to make the cobalt-haired girl unable to find her breath and bit back a soft moan.

"This is insane." Natsuki whispered breathily.

Shizuru giggled before whispering back, "Maybe it is, but that doesn't mean I dislike it." She finally opened her eyes to meet Natsuki's shy ones. "Do you?"

Natsuki shifted uneasily under Shizuru's gaze. "I don't dislike it." She confessed, holding her additional thoughts to herself: Shizuru's mother, uncle, and wedding were too much to think about at that moment, especially with Shizuru gazing at her the way that she was: the pools of silver light and shifting shadows of the night had a mesmerizing effect on the older girl's body, hair and eyes. Natsuki's cheeks flustered shyly.

Shizuru giggled again at the other girl's tentative behavior towards her. Wordlessly, she pushed Natsuki gently so that she lay fully onto the bed of tall grass. She loomed over the younger girl's body, studying the jade eyes a little longer before lowering herself. Though she chose not to press her body fully onto Natsuki's tense form, she remained propped up with her forearms pressing onto the grass either side of her shoulders.

"How's that nose doing now?" Shizuru asked with a smirk, purposely being cruel by switching the subject to something rather far off.

Natsuki just stared at her, her green gaze unclear as though her mind was someplace else. "What nose?" She replied seriously, her expression unchanged.

Shizuru laughed her soft laugh, amused but also surprised just how deeply Natsuki had fallen into this wistful state. Looking back five years ago, she would have given so much to see the look Natsuki had right now. She briefly wondered what _exactly_ happened that made Natsuki finally act this way towards her, but not really craving to know the answer right at that moment.

"Nevermind." The tawny-haired girl finally answered, leaning forward only a small distance until her lips were only a centimeter away from Natsuki's: she let her figure out what to do next. It took a couple seconds, but Natsuki's diffident reply was well worth the wait.

The kiss was slow, soft and chaste, and Shizuru didn't mind it at all. She smirked as she wasn't sure whether Natsuki was trying to lead or just _trying_. Either way, she let the rhythm flow as she subtly slid one of her arms down so that it lay against Natsuki's side. Her hand cupped her ribcage softly; she felt the muscles underneath jump at the initial contact. Shizuru smiled at how sensitive she was. She briefly opened her eyes to let them wander over the younger girl's timid yet relaxed expression, like a child learning a new lesson.

Natsuki thought that her heart was going to pound through both of their cages; it was like facing your ultimate fear, yet not feeling afraid at all. The touch and warmth of Shizuru's arms kept her from wandering too far into the chasm of her trepidation. The girl on top of her sighed as Natsuki released her hold on her shoulders and wrapped her arms around her neck. In return, Shizuru carefully caressed the smaller girl's side from low on her hip to her bra line, her wrist brushing against the side of her breast. Natsuki gasped and shivered, tightening her hold on the body on top of her until the wave-like sensation subsided.

Shizuru smiled at Natsuki's reaction. Nearly inaudible moans reverberated from her throat as her lips continued their affectionate touches upon the other girl's until she dared to go down. With much reluctance, her lips tore from Natsuki's as she rotated her head to press them against the skin underneath her jaw. She moved down, her lips, breath, and tongue slowly caressing and teasing the skin as she took her time to get to the collarbone.

"Uhhnnn…" Natsuki finally groaned breathily, unconsciously turning her head to give more room. Shizuru shuddered at the younger girl's response, her excitement urging her to suck and nibble on her throat a little longer. She could feel the pulsating vein beneath her lips and tongue; she couldn't help but give it attention. "Oh…" The flustering girl panted, beginning to squirm beneath Shizuru's body as she held her closer. The older girl giggled huskily. After dipping her tongue into the hollow of Natsuki's throat a few more times, she finally made her way back up the other side of her neck with equal precision.

Curious as to what the younger girl would do, Shizuru kissed, nipped and suckled passionately on her earlobe and the sensitive skin underneath.

Natsuki craned her neck back, releasing a low, throaty moan as she tried to keep her hands from gripping at her soft sweater. She shivered every time she felt Shizuru's warm breath tickle her dry skin and cool her wet skin along her neck. Her clouded eyes opened as much as they could as she felt Shizuru's lips trail back to her own. When they touched, she finally closed them again and **very** tentatively nerved to trace Shizuru's lips with her tongue.

Shizuru laughed seductively before pressing her lips a little harder against the younger girl's, trapping her tongue so that she could caress it with her own. Natsuki gasped and panted again, holding back a groan at the sweet, soft warmth of Shizuru's tongue. There were no attempts at domination, just rhythmic motions as shared touches of affection. She absentmindedly held the nape of the older girl's neck with one palm; the other wandered down to the small of Shizuru's back, caressing it, utterly lost in the warmth of the embrace and seemly endless passion.

"Mmmnnn-ohhh, Nat-su-kiii…" Shizuru whirred hoarsely, gently biting and tugging on the cobalt-haired girl's lower lip.

Natsuki's eyes opened, broken from her deep trance at the sound of her own name being spoken that way. She pushed on Shizuru's shoulders, making the girl on top of her stop. Shizuru looked at her concernedly, "Natsuki? What's wrong?"

The younger girl didn't answer. She pushed herself up, making Shizuru get off of her and shift to sit next to her. Natsuki's heart was hammering, her face blushing to the point where she could feel the heat on her palms. She never knew this kind of passion; it scared her but at the same time revitalized her. It made her feel alive, needed, wanted, … loved. Her gaze lifted to Shizuru's - she saw what she felt.

Natsuki looked away, blushing. "I'm sorry, Shizuru. I just… it's all so real and I've never…" – She glanced in the older girl's direction – "… I've never felt this way, not with anyone, besides…" This time, she finally brought her jade eyes up to Shizuru's: they were deep with something that Natsuki still had trouble defining. "You." Not knowing what else to say, nothing else to conclude with, she just waited for Shizuru to speak her thoughts.

Shizuru looked at her intently, wishing that she could do so much; to make Natsuki feel so much right now and know exactly what it was, and not just simply keep guessing. "Natsuki has always been so sweet to me…" Shizuru whispered, holding her close. "It makes me wonder how I ever deserved to have you next to me like this…" She finished, resting her head against her best friend's shoulder.

Natsuki looked in the older girl's direction, only able to see the tawny hair falling over her shoulder. A smile grazed her lips as she stroked the locks softly with her fingers. They were silent for what seemed like an eternity, but both were very comfortable in their embrace. Eventually, Natsuki finally asked, "So, what happened to that 'You'll See' you told me about?"

Shizuru looked up at the sky again and frowned. "It looks like the moon isn't going to be bright enough, but that's okay. We'll have several other chances." With that, she laid the side of her face against Natsuki's neck.

The younger girl's pink (and still slightly raw) lips curved upwards. "I hope so. You keep making me really curious."

Shizuru giggled. "Hopefully in more ways than one…"

It took a couple minutes for Natsuki to understand what she was talking about. It was very easy to tell when she did: "You never **ever** quit, do you!?!?"

888

Girochi gazed down at the sight of his niece and her friend disdainfully. His office, which occupied a back corner of the house, was hidden in the dark apart from the moonlight spilling passed his windows, onto the carpet. He scoffed before finally turning away from the repulsive display, belligerently striding to his large, black safe. With an austere wrist, he turned the metal knob, the _'clicks'_ sounding the in the empty room. The vault's hinges hummed as it creaked open.

Reaching into the shadows, he mentally counted the files stored within and pulled out a single file. After closing the door, trying to silence the sound of the lock as much as he could, he walked back over to his desk and buried the documents under a small pile of papers. The moonlight was just able to touch the label on the file:

"FIRST DISTRICT – Subject: Fujino, Shizuru."

Girochi glanced back up to where his "honorable" niece held the girl in her arms. He sneered again with distaste as he silently turned and left the room.


	9. Kiss You

Do not own Mai-HiME characters. Blah blah blah…

I think this one is even longer than the previous one… I didn't even know I could go on any further than that but hey. Anyway, I'm actually pretty happy with how this turned out. (More A/N's at the bottom of the page, but you have to read at least the flashback to understand it).

Oh, btw, for those interested, i finally put in my "homepage" in my profile.

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Chapter 9: Kiss You

It hurt to blink. It hurt to keep her dry eyes open. She tried to close them, and it helped, but they wouldn't stay closed for long as her restless conscience pried them open again. Her forest green eyes stared straight onto the white plane of her bedroom ceiling. She spent the night observing it as the night covered it with shadows, then as the sun painted it with its warm pastels.

She wanted to sleep, but, of course, she couldn't. Thoughts and questions didn't necessarily race through her head that night. In fact, she would have felt better if that was indeed the cause for her sleepless night. But, alas, she found no reasons besides having something she didn't understand tug at her mind – a question that refused to be coherent.

Her sheets and blanket were rumpled and laying in all directions across her bed: evidence of her troublesome night. Eventually she just gave up, rolled onto her back, arms spread straight out to each side of the mattress, and eyes glued open.

With a long sigh, she finally saw it time to crane her neck and glance at the clock beside her bed: 8:20am. She groaned within her throat as she, with effort, pulled herself from beneath the covers. Normally, she would refuse to rise this early in the morning (unless if for someone she really cared for), but she wasn't sure if she could spend another minute lying in the same position without feeling antsy.

Lumbering loosely to the door, she reached one hand to the door's brass handle. Her hand an inch away, the door creaked and swung. Jade eyes widened as the large plank of painted wood closed in: _Bump!_

"Argh!!" Letting out a string of curses, Natsuki covered her still-colored nose with both hands as it throbbed with renewed pain. Clamped eyelids opened and glared at Shizuru's startled face.

"Oh! Natsuki! I'm so sorry!" Shizuru exclaimed as she closed the door and hastily stepped forth to take Natsuki's face in her hands.

Natsuki retreated one step, her face still contorting from the pain. "No! I-I mean, don't worry about it. It'll feel better in a minute." Her words came out muffled through her hands as her eyes uncomfortably turned to a corner of the room.

"Maybe. But _I _won't feel better unless I see for myself." Shizuru's soft, small hands enveloped the younger girl's wrists. Natsuki just started at her, not removing her hands. Shizuru closed the distance between them a few more inches as she concernedly whispered, "Please, Natsuki...?"

The tone of the Kyoto-ben accent nearly made Natsuki's knees lose their strength to hold her upright. Wordlessly, she let Shizuru's hands pull her own away.

Shizuru intently examined the younger girl's small nose, making Natsuki's face grow pinker by the second. "W-well?" Natsuki asked impatiently, embarrassed. "It's ok, right?"

"It's just a little redder, but yes. With more ice, it should be back to normal soon." Shizuru then calmly lifted her crimson eyes to get a full look at her. Natsuki stared at her bewilderedly when the other girl gasped. "Natsuki, what happened? Your eyes are almost as red as your nose! You look like you cried all night!" The slender hands came back up and cupped Natsuki's face.

"What? No, no. Nothing like that, I just couldn't sleep last night, that's all." The cobalt-haired girl explained, raising her hands to remove Shizuru's.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Shizuru murmured as she gently kissed one eyelid. Natsuki's arms halted in mid-air, her body motionless and lips slightly parted at the sweet contact. "Perhaps I had kept you up too late last night." The older girl's soft voice was like immersing one's body in the air of a warm summer day: even though Natsuki remained still, her muscles became weak. She tried to respond No, but it came out as a barely audible whisper. "And I hope this," – Shizuru kissed the tip of her nose – "will make it feel better." Shizuru smiled her irresistible smile before her eyes, on their own accord, traveled lower.

Natsuki's heart sped up as she watched those wine-red eyes grow smoky. She shuddered and held her breath when a warm thumb lightly caressed her lips from one corner to the other, then back again. "Shi…" Natsuki hardly moved her lips as she whispered, entranced by the other girl's darkened eyes.

"Mmnn…" Shizuru droned briefly at the feeling of a soft breath warming the pad of her thumb. The sensation she felt against her thumb at the mere touch against her lips was as addicting as stroking the softest of furs. She wanted to take advantage of its potential like she had the previous night, but she held herself back and decided on something else: "Oh my dear…" She swooned breathily. "It's amazing how just your lips alone can push _just_ the right _buttons_!" She fanned herself with her hand.

The impassioned expression on the older girl's face alone was enough to make Natsuki's face burn. "Shizuru!" She scolded. 'Don't ever do that again!' She almost yelled, but she had said those words to her so many times in the past that she knew they would fall on deaf ears again. Instead, she just pouted, "If you're going to do something, don't just stand there all stupid-like! Just do it!"

Shizuru smirked, "What did you think I was going to do?" She asked innocently.

"N-No! Just… Nothing!" The navy-haired girl growled in frustration, finally turning away from the relentless women next to her.

Said girl giggled. "Oh please? I'm really curious! Did it involve the pressing of lips? Experimental touches? The gradual removal of clothing?"

By now, Natsuki had pressed her palms into her ears. "No! Stop! Stop!!" She yelled before turning to Shizuru's highly amused face, gazing at her incredulously. "Have you gained absolutely _no_ maturity these last few years??"

The older girl laughed. "I guess you're right, please forgive me. I don't know what's come over me lately. As I said, I guess it's been so long since I had seen you that perhaps my more teasing side is making up for lost time." After hearing Natsuki's response of "yeah well…" and taking a moment to gaze at the navy-haired girl's pout-like expression, she continued, "Will Natsuki be taking a shower before she comes to breakfast?"

"Yeah." Natsuki answered non-enthusiastically, unconsciously reaching to rub the sleep out of her eye with her fist, like a cat washing its face. She turned and eyed her. "Why did you come here?"

Shizuru smiled sheepishly - a very rare sight: Natsuki wasn't sure if the older girl presented it to her purposely or if trained. "Forgive me. I was just passing by and I was curious as to whether Natsuki was still asleep."

Natsuki's brow quirked, "Were you going to watch me sleep? Again?"

"No, just peek in for a few seconds, then leave." Shizuru shifted to tighten her robe. "Would you have minded if I were going to watch you?" She asked curiously.

Natsuki paused, looking away from the slightly taller girl. "No." She answered softly, pausing again. "It wouldn't have been the first time waking up and seeing you watching over me." She added.

"Why Natsuki, you make me sound like I'm your guardian angel." A smile grazed Shizuru's lips; not quite the serious kind, yet not quite the teasing kind either.

Natsuki was silent, then she did something Shizuru didn't at all expect: she chuckled. The ocher-haired girl thought that she would probably deny it or at least remain silent and just look away as though pretending like she didn't hear it. Surprised, she just watched Natsuki turn and take a seat on the bed. "I guess, in hindsight, that's what you've always been to me." She stated, not looking up to meet Shizuru's gaze, just staring at her bare feet.

When she realized that all she got in return was silence, Natsuki looked up curiously to see what the other girl's crimson orbs might obtain. What she saw, however, she couldn't quite describe; it greatly resembled the expression Shizuru had given her when she had told her it was okay, that she shouldn't cry; that she had forgiven her for her sins in Natsuki's name and for her love, all those years ago.

"Oh… Natsuki…" Shizuru whispered, still gazing at her as though she were the most beautiful thing she had ever laid eyes on. She turned away, the expression never wavering. "Here I am, being the most unruly girl I could be, and yet here you are, being the sweetest, most gentle girl I could ever hope to know." Her comment was guilt-ridden but gratified at the same time.

Natsuki only pinked as she too looked down. 'That would be some role-change.' She thought with a bemused smirk, remembering how unruly she had been and still was. She was going to speak her thoughts, but the silence had dragged on too long now. (At least that was her excuse.) "I should get in that washroom; I'm getting tired of feeling tired." She almost mumbled from fatigue.

Shizuru grinned lightly, finding the younger girl's use of language just now rather adorable. "Very well, whenever Natsuki is ready, she can come find me downstairs and she and I can have breakfast together."

"I don't want to hold you up; you can start without me, you know." The navy-haired girl stated.

Shizuru smiled. "Yes, but I'd rather not have you eating alone, for that will make me feel like a terrible hostess." When she saw that Natsuki was about to protest again, she continued, "Perhaps I can have the breakfast sent to my room and you can join me there later?" She suggested kindly.

Knowing that Shizuru was a hard person to refuse and an even harder person to be refuse _from_, Natsuki nodded in defeat. "Fine. You sure you can wait that long?"

"My paperwork always makes the time go by much faster." The ocher-haired girl replied with a dismissive wave of her hand. "But don't take too long now; otherwise I may think you'll have drowned yourself and have to jump into the tub with you and give you mouth-to-mouth resuscitation." She winked suggestively.

Natsuki could feel the heat start to radiate from her face. "J-just get back to work-er-whatever it is that you do will you!?" She commanded, trying in vain to hide her face behind her curtain of cobalt hair.

Shizuru giggled. "Very well," She was about to make her way back to the door when she stopped and turned, an intent look beneath her tawny bangs. Slightly taken aback by the sudden change of mood about the older woman's visage, Natsuki just looked back up at her with bewilderment - as though to ask, "What's the matter with you?"

Wordlessly, the older woman gracefully strode forth. As she parted and kneeled between Natsuki's legs, the seated girl felt herself being trapped yet unwilling to move. Her heart began to race anxiously as she dumbly watched the austere expression of the other girl's face lean closer and finally press her lips fully and passionately against her own. She shivered in response to the soft moan from Shizuru's throat and the breath that tickled her cheek.

It really amazed her that no matter how much the woman might infuriate her with her teasing remarks, what she felt in the kiss was what she felt in Shizuru, making it so hard to deny her of anything…

8888

Shizuru gently closed the door behind her, smiling to herself and the wonderful sensation still lingering upon her lips. The kiss they shared hadn't lasted long - perhaps a couple seconds - but it was enough for Shizuru, knowing that the girl behind that door had returned her kiss as confidently as she could muster.

The tawny-haired girl had to hold herself back when she saw the thoughtful and accepting look in those jade eyes; she wanted to give herself the chance of reliving what she and the younger girl had done in the flowery field the night before. Knowing that doing so would only make her feel greedy and place Natsuki in perhaps yet another awkward situation, she pulled herself away, leaving her with a mere caress across the cheek.

Though Natsuki's eyes provided her with much joy, it also sent a painful wave of discontentment through chest: she had told Natsuki that she would take care of her own personal matters concerning Reito and the marriage; but she wasn't totally certain if she could do such a thing. As Natsuki must have realized, her uncle was a very intimidating person and cared much for the family name and its honor.

'I hate feeling like I'm simply leading her on, but it's certainly not as if I'm lying about how I feel for her.' Shizuru tried to explain to herself. Her troubled blood-red eyes closed tightly shut as she remembered Reito's words during their evening out the previous day...

8888Flashback8888

"Please, call me Shizuru." The tawny-haired girl asked kindly over the candlelight.

The boy across the table nodded and smiled. "If you call me Reito," he requested.

She nodded in return, her perfect smile as charming as ever. "So, Reito, do you really remember me being such a catch that you're willing to agree to such a bond with me?" The elegantly-dressed woman asked as she seemly centered the linen napkin on her lap before laying her clasped-hands upon it.

"I do remember you being every bit of what every man would want in a woman, yes; though I did not expect you to grow even more beautiful than before like you have." Reito answered as though it was merely a comment, complete with a warm, soft smile.

Shizuru smiled despite herself. "Just as charming as always, I should have known." After rewarded an appreciative smile, she continued, "I'm surprised you've not already caught yourself a seamless woman of your own by now: all the girls would swoon over you at the Academy."

"As they would you," Reito countered, followed by a laugh which Shizuru echoed.

"Yes, perhaps that's true." The young woman knew that it was. "But that was just because they looked up to me as their upperclassman, nothing more." Even if that was the case in that matter, Shizuru knew that whatever their true feelings were, the Student Council President would only look at them as her lowerclassmen looking for guidance. Her heart was already stolen by someone else.

"And a fine role model you were." The taller boy smiled.

Shizuru only smiled back. She wasn't sure if he was totally correct with that comment; images of blood and screams for mercy flashed in her mind; but she immediately chose not to think of the details. "Reito, may I ask you something?" She asked after taking a sip of her red wine.

"Certainly,"

Hesitating, she idly fingered the edge of the linen tablecloth. The thought of the question alone made her feel somewhat foolish, but she forced herself to ask, "Do you truly see a prosperous future with me? Or were you… - and forgive me if this sounds absurd -… influenced?"

Reito observed her with curious surprise. "Influenced? As in duped?"

"No, no. Nothing like that," The crimson-eyed woman assured with a shake of her head. This was what she feared about the question: she knew many men may take it the wrong way when she said "Influenced," but she knew well that her former Vice President was all but stupid and naïve. (Of course, there were a few times when the coal-haired boy would casually stride into the boardroom, unwittingly interrupting an important conversation between her and the jade-eyed delinquent and never realize it. But, it _had _been five years since, so surely the personal experience gained during that time would benefit him.) "It's just that I have no doubt my mother and uncle have become somewhat desperate by now; I've turned down so many bachelors…" She explained, drifting off thoughtfully.

"Ah," He nodded, "So they know you play hard-to-get, hm? Well, I'm not surprised – you've always been that way during school. But to answer you're question," He seemed to hesitate, as though unsure of his answer. "Yes and no." When Shizuru regarded him bemusedly, he continued: "You're uncle_ did_ contact me and told me of your current plans concerning your search for an eligible bachelor. He _did _also request that I come and consider possibly being your match since he knew of our history together." He explicated light-heartedly as though they were simple facts.

Shizuru nodded but still sighed sullenly, leaning back in her comfortable, finely carved chair. "Of course…" She didn't mean for the thought to come aloud, nor did she notice; she was far too lost in her own struggling thoughts.

Noticing the rare sight that was the distressed look in the woman's eyes, Reito leaned forward over the table, speaking and gazing at her concernedly. "However, I didn't come because of that – that's why I said "no" as well. Shizuru, you are an honorable, beautiful and successful woman and I would love to be given the chance to make you happy." He stated honestly, making Shizuru look back up to him, taken aback by his words. "I mean, I remember the rumors of us dating in school and how everyone else thought we made a charming couple; what if it's true? I know I had my interests in Tokiha-san, but, I've been thinking, what of the possibility with us? What if it's better than either of us thought it would be? I wouldn't mind at least giving it a try."

Shizuru still felt herself inwardly stunned, but tried to seem as nonchalant and considerate as she could. 'Where in the world did this come from? I never even remember him taking all that much interest in me when we were together. I can definitely tell he's serious; the look in his eyes right now… so warm and hopeful… it's so strange… As much as I hate to prolong something such as this, I can't very well say no to him, not right now; I need more time to think of how to go about this… how to end it without putting too much on the line… Natsuki…'

"Shizuru? Is something wrong?"

The woman in question seemed to jump at the interruption but, with expert skill, immediately regained her poised composure. "No, of course not, Reito." She promised in her confident tone. "I'm touched that you've thought so much of me for this. However, it's simply that you know I was never the type to rush into things, so, if you don't mind…" She requested as uprightly as she could.

Reito nodded unwearyingly. "Of course, I wouldn't blame you needing the slack after being courted by so many bachelors." He smiled his charming smile again, which Shizuru responded in kind. The woman across the table noticed a sense of curiosity growing in Reito's façade and bid him ask whatever was on his mind: "I'm sorry if I'm prying into forbidden territory, but, how long has Natsuki been with you before I came? Is she your check-off system for your other bachelors?" He asked jokingly.

Shizuru laughed despite herself again. "She hasn't been here that long; I only invited her a few days ago, but I guess you could say that about her." It was ironic really – if there were ever a time Natsuki would be part of a check-off system, it would have to be when the older girl had compared other boys or girls to her. The difference between Natsuki Kuga and the boys and girls to her would be that - apart from Natsuki – the boxes with the question "Does this boy/girl make your heart race with longing?" next to it would be left unchecked. "I guess I've just grown so exhausted after so many suitors claiming to be my perfect match and yet fall short of certain things I truly desire. I've never needed her by my side so badly." She confessed, the tip of her finger tracing the rim of her near-empty wine-glass.

Reito smiled as though pleased for her to have someone so close. "A friend in need is a friend indeed." He chuckled, taking a sip from his own glass.

Shizuru let herself smirk, lifting her glass so that to finish the rest. "You have no idea." She murmured.

8888EndFlashback8888

It was almost too much to bear - knowing that he was so serious and wasn't being told what to do like most of the others. She felt bad for him; he seemed to be trying so hard to make something work between them but she knew it was futile.

At the end of that evening together with him, they had kissed: it was at the door of his bedroom, she had wished him goodnight, he wished her the same, then, she recognized "the look" in his eye. "It may be bad luck to break the "first date" tradition." He had exclaimed. She let him lean down towards her; she leaned up to meet him at the last minute - she didn't want him to feel as though he wasn't desirable. He _was_ desirable (in her view; in the view of an everyday girl) but he wasn't desirable for _her_.

The kiss itself was, of course, chaste but meaningful - the typical "first date" kiss. Shizuru very willingly let him take lead. When they pulled away they both smiled, wished each other another goodnight, and parted. If Shizuru hadn't discovered her feelings and emotions concerning love all those years ago, she knew she would have then - even if Reito seemed more experienced and relaxed than Natsuki, what she felt in his lips lacked so much more.

Something had swelled in her chest then as she strode away. When she touched her lips, the swelling grew. "Natsuki…" The name quietly burst from her throat. It was then that she knew nothing could hold herself back; that she needed the embrace of that other girl. Though she wasn't at all sure if she would receive it, she was so happy when she got that and was allowed to give more.

Now, back in her own bedroom, waiting for Natsuki to return from the washroom as she said she would, she tried to do the paperwork she said she'd do. Several minutes had already passed and the food was recently delivered on a beautifully etched metal tray placed on one side of the bed. She failed somewhat miserably to concentrate as the memory of the younger girl's lips made her feel insatiable, but she tried to control her feelings and thoughts…

Thoughts of her wrapping her arms around the slick skin… of pressing her against her while feeling the contours of her body… of wantonly kissing and suckling on her neck and shoulder… of pressing her against the moistened wall, holding her in place as she travels down… of turning her light protests into cries for more and more…

Shizuru gasped as she surfaced from her heated imaginations. Blushing, she looked down at her silky nightgown/robe ensemble and silently gasped again when she noticed that her fingers were dangerously close to the apex of her legs. She quickly pulled her hand away and mutely scolded herself. What if Natsuki had walked in? Besides, she had already done such things perhaps one too many times when she was in her adolescence with Natsuki.

Still finding herself to be a bit uncomfortable, she stood up and walked around her white, queen-sized bed to her nightstand where her glass of cold water stood. She took a sip and exhaled at the cold sensation riding down her throat - that helped a great deal. She then gently leaned her cheek onto the condensed side of the glass, feeling it chill the side of her face. She stared blindly but thoughtfully at where the carpet met the wall.

She couldn't let herself succumb to such desires so easily; she had done it before, she could surely do it again. A grin let itself form upon her face: it amazed her that it had been five whole years since she and Natsuki had spent time together like this, and yet, nothing of what she felt had changed. She had assumed that if they had spent such a long time apart, perhaps the affection and passion that she felt for the younger girl would fade. But, she knew the second that she saw Natsuki's face when she first came that that would not be an option.

The tawny-haired girl had hoped that Natsuki would indeed help her in keeping her good sense through the collection of men (to be the human check-off system, as Reito had suggested). But, apparently, the outcome of that notion was not in her favor. Shizuru then grinned, touching her lips with the tips of her fingers – or maybe it was.

888

"Shizuru?" Natsuki called after hesitantly knocking on Shizuru's bedroom door.

"Come in." She heard the older girl call back. After flicking her damp hair over her shoulder, she casually strode in. Her eyes immediately found the woman seated gracefully on the edge of the bed.

Shizuru greeted her with a warm smile before gesturing to the tray of food sitting next to her. The older girl had said something but apparently it fell on deaf ears as Natsuki immediately dug in – she had been starving ever since she finished washing her hair. Shizuru only giggled before going back to sorting the papers on her desk. "Natsuki?"

"Mn-hm?" The cobalt-haired girl answered through a mouthful of food.

Shizuru paused for a moment, giving herself some time before speaking. "Reito and I will most likely be spending another day together. We haven't made any plans, but I just want to make sure that you'll be okay."

Natsuki looked up at her; the rate of her chewing slowed down to nothing as she studied the older woman's caring expression. With a few crestfallen blinks, her gaze cast down. "Um, okay." Her response sounded as though it was a question, and Shizuru caught it and she knew what Natsuki was thinking.

Guilt fell over her, but she knew she couldn't help it, not in this point in time. With a remorsefully muted sigh, she reached for her car keys splayed on the surface of her desk. "Since I don't know how long we're going to be, I want to give you the keys to my car." She tossed the keys within a foot of Natsuki's reach on the bed. "I know that even _you_ can't stay outside and work on a motorcycle for _that_ long, at least not when it's your own. So, of course, I want to grant you a little more access than that." The tall beauty enlightened.

Natsuki took the keychain in her hands, eyeing it for a moment. "Where can I go?" She asked, not looking up. The absence of a proper license didn't daunt her nor did it seem to Shizuru. Even though she didn't have one, it didn't mean she lack the simple knowledge of how to drive. She inwardly laughed at the memory of the summer where Shizuru taught her how to drive in an open parking lot while Natsuki in turn, taught her how to ride. (Shizuru still had only a little ways to go since motorcycles where much more dangerous than cars).

"You can go back to my house and play with Dhuran if you want. You can take him on a walk or do whatever you wish." Shizuru smiled, already picturing how much the younger girl would enjoy it and take her mind off of Reito and herself.

At least that brought a flicker of a smile on the other girl's lips before she tucked it into her jean pocket. "Okay. I'm still a little stiff from all that I did with the bike yesterday, so getting out might do me some good, I guess." She reasoned, then paused as she brought another strawberry to her mouth. "Um…" She started, still refusing to look up, "I thought that you were going to try to… you know… with the whole 'Reito' thing and all…" Jade eyes finally glanced up.

Shizuru sighed dolefully; she was just waiting for that to come. "I know." She stepped over to Natsuki and kneeled so that she was sitting on the floor next to the other girl's legs, her own curled underneath her. "And that hasn't changed. I'm not purposely dawdling, I just…" The crimson orbs downcast before she laid her head against one of Natsuki's thighs. "I just wish this was as easy for me as leaving the Student Council Presidency had seemed."

She remembered the night when Haruka and Yukino had confronted her, when she was so willing to hand her duties over to the Head of Security, so that she could remain by Natsuki's side. There were so many times when she was more than ready to give up everything; to not have to sit through each Council meeting and instead spend her time making sure her dearest person wasn't hurt. She only stayed for Natsuki's convenience.

Shizuru knew that she could live losing literally all that her family had given her as long as she was with the woman she was holding onto at that very moment – she just preferred not going down that route, if possible. "When I get the chance, I'll speak to my mother first. I know she'll listen to me."

"O-…okay…" Natsuki mumbled. It took her a few seconds, but after managing to bring up her nerve, she spoke again, "L-look, I know I can be very… um… impatient, and… I-I don't want you to stress yourself out about this… just for me…" Shizuru was about to speak, but the navy-haired girl interrupted as more words came to her mind: "I guess I'm just… I guess I just worry a lot more when it comes to you…" She confessed, her voice drifting off.

Shizuru smiled at Natsuki's words. "Thank you for being so understanding." She murmured, sighing contently as she shifted the weight of her head on Natsuki's knee. "If it weren't for the possibility of a federal search to be called, I would take you away so that it would be just us and I could shower you with kisses." The next moment made her beam as Natsuki immediately began to squirm underneath her.

"Ah-erm-_ahem_-well, uh-thanks for letting me borrow your car, Shizuru. Would you mind writing me some directions to your house?" Natsuki stammered awkwardly as she tried to disperse the redness gathering at her cheeks before the ocher-haired girl could look at her.

"Of course," Shizuru answered with a giggle. Rising gracefully from the floor, she sauntered back over to her desk for her paper and pen. As she waited, Natsuki absentmindedly stared at Shizuru's characteristically smooth yet almost urgently-paced penmanship. From where she sat, she couldn't see the woman's handwriting, only the flicking tip of the fountain pen as the point scratched down the paper. She definitely seemed to have the blood of a businesswoman in her.

Naturally, Shizuru's handwriting was like Japanese calligraphy; immaculate and fluid despite its rapid pace – the total inverse of Natsuki's own handwriting ability. When the cobalt-haired girl finally received the instructions, she folded and stuffed both the paper and the car keys into her pocket. She mumbled her thanks, popped a few more bites of food into her mouth, and went for the door.

However, before she stepped through, something still hung in Natsuki's mind. She hesitantly turned and wordlessly gazed at the woman who looked back at her curiously. "Um, Shizuru," she started apprehensively, "I… still stand by what I said earlier, but I want to just say that this is _your_ _life_, you know. You can make it what you want, so when it comes to telling people what you want, why don't you just say it?" The further Natsuki carried in her words, the more stern her eyes became upon the older girl.

Shizuru just gazed at her for a moment almost comprehensively, as though realizing the truth behind the younger girl's words. Then, she seemed to smile softly as though proud of something. "Ah yes, one of my favorite things about Natsuki's character: so indomitable." She sighed almost dreamily, leaning her cheek into her palm.

"Ugh, never mind!" Natsuki sighed exasperatedly. "I'll be back later, call me if you need anything." She finished in her monotonous tone, closing the door behind her.

As Shizuru heard the retreating footsteps fade to nothingness, the smile left. _"Why don't you just say it?"_ The refined woman sighed almost morosely. 'That is the question, isn't it?' She thought to herself. She wished she knew an answer.

She indolently went to dress herself in her suitable day-clothing. After letting her silk robe fall from her shoulders and ripple into a semi-circle at her feet, she reached back with effort to the small zipper of her gown. Shizuru wished Natsuki was still around to help her lower the zipper. When the tawny-haired girl finally did, she noticed that the zipper track ended almost below the small of her back. Out of curiosity, she craned her neck and looked at herself in her tall mirror. A smirk formed on her lips; perhaps that would have been too much for Natsuki's little modest-self to handle.

88888

"That woman just… **boggles** me in ways I can't even describe!" Natsuki exclaimed to no one in particular as she followed the streets Shizuru mapped for her in her Mercedes. Natsuki was always very good at finding her way to places, so she arrived at Shizuru's house with hardly any trouble (the only problem she received was dealing with her patience while trying to get around the Sunday drivers the whole way there).

Shifting the gear into park on Shizuru's driveway, she stepped out and locked the car behind her as she made her way to the door. She stood there for a few minutes before she realized what she was missing: the key to the door. Natsuki grumbled as she searched around the porch for all the possible places Shizuru would keep her spare key until the door suddenly opened for her.

Natsuki's brow quirked suspiciously as she watched the door open and a woman she'd never seen before stumble out with Dhuran and a purple leash in her hand. The navy-haired girl was silent until the woman closing the door noticed her with a start.

"Oh! You scared me! May I help you?" She asked, holding the excited Dhuran down to keep him from jumping on her. She looked to be in her mid-thirties; long brown hair tied up in a ponytail and dressed in casual wear.

Natsuki just looked at her distrustfully. "Yeah, you can start by telling me who the hell you are and why you're in Shizuru's house."

The woman, though momentarily surprised by Natsuki's bleak attitude, matched Natsuki's eyes with equal doubt. "Look, I don't know who you are either so I'm not about to give my name to someone I don't even recognize in all my years of helping Shizuru take care of her dog." She countered.

Natsuki then stopped; helping Shizuru with her dog? "Ms. Morisato?"

The woman then eyed her uncertainly. "Y… yes…?"

The cobalt-haired girl inwardly sighed with relief. "Oh… sorry…" She tried to say though it came out awkwardly. "I'm Kuga Natsuki. Shizuru and I went to Fuuka Academy together." She explained.

Ms. Morisato examined her for a moment before nodding, suspicious dissipating from her eyes. "Yes, now that I look at you, you do look familiar."

"Familiar?"

"The frames," The older woman explained. "The pictures of you and her and others in your class around her living room,"

"Oh, yeah, I forgot about those." Natsuki felt slightly embarrassed by all the pictures of her that Shizuru had kept but she tried to not let it show. She looked down at the restless dog below her. "Um, mind if I take him? Shizuru's busy all day and she knows I love dogs, so…"

"Oh, no of course not," She handed her the leash, the key following shortly after when the older woman locked the front door for her. "Have a good time; he can be rather hard to keep up with. If you need anything, I'm right next door." With that, she bid her goodbye and Natsuki was left with the excited Dhuran.

Natsuki couldn't help but snigger at the hyperactive rate of Dhuran's swishing tail. He looked up at her, silently begging to be stroked and to start on their little walk. The cobalt-haired girl gladly obeyed on both accounts, earning a thoroughly-licked hand and an immediate tug on the leash. She laughed as she worked herself to Dhuran's eager pace as they strolled down the edge of the road. She let the still-youthful mutt lead and she simply followed, the loop of the leash encircling her wrist.

Hands stuffed in her pockets, she let her eyes wander over the surroundings as she passed each gated house. Leafy vines that crawled up the short, brick walls brushed against her shoulder. Clipped and aged leaves that disbanded from its siblings gathered beneath her feet, kicking and crumpling them with each step.

Dhuran, of course, did what all canines did on strolls: he sniffed and clawed curiously at empty patches of grass; he barked at and tempted to chase after passing cars; nearly bounded for scavenging and scurrying rodents, the leash almost barely keeping him at bay. Natsuki amusedly wondered how the hell Shizuru managed to keep up with this dog. She herself certainly could, but Shizuru was very different from her.

Eventually, the blonde-haired dog led her to a sidewalk that came to the arched gate of a public park. Natsuki was surprised at the amount of people who visited the somewhat botanical park; she wouldn't have expected so much for a weekday. People were jogging along the gravel pathways; some were seated on patches of grass and wooden benches, writing or sketching intently; others were having picnics either alone or with others.

Natsuki looked down at Dhuran, who gazed out almost longingly. "So, I take it this is where you wanna be?" Dhuran then bended low and scraped his claws against the grassy earth, growling deep within his throat. He was acting as though he were a race horse ready to charge as soon as the gate to the track opened. Natsuki laughed at his fervent behavior before kneeling down to his collar. "I don't think you'll be needing this, just don't run too far, okay?" After a promising "Woof!" she unhooked the leash from his collar and off he took.

Natsuki kept a good eye on him for the first few minutes, making sure that he was being a good boy. Still keeping contact with him, she squatted herself to rest against one of the several tall trees that provided an abundance of shade from the early-noon sun. She smirked as Dhuran willingly plunged into his own word, reliving all that he had done while they had walked along the road (minus the cars; adding the rodents). Despite his energized activities, he miraculously avoided and perhaps even respected the privacy of the other parties in the park.

While letting the canine be his merry self, Natsuki's thoughts seemed to drift in the relatively calm atmosphere…

888Flashback888

"AAAIIIIEEEEYAAAAAAHHHH!!!!" _Splash!_

Mai, Reito, and Tate flew their arms up to protect themselves from the drops and waves of water Midori caused to erupt from the lake. Chie and Aoi only watched and laughed from their safer distance in the water.

"My turn!!" Mikoto exclaimed excitedly as she ran up along the shore to the large tree that hung a long rope from one of its stronger branches. Grasping the rope tightly in her hands, she ran back to the man-made dais, pulled the rope till it was taut, and swung. She grinned and laughed as she flew past everyone and, when she reached the pike, let go, spinning in the air. Her shriek was muffled when the water finally engulfed her. Everyone around her laughed.

They were at a park within the heart of the city. It was summer, and everyone was enjoying it to its fullest that day. Music from Chie's boombox echoed through their vicinity of the park. Other families took advantage of the park as well; it was lucky for them that the park just managed to fit everyone without the sense of confinement. The lake was more like a pond, really. Though, at the same time, it was large enough where one would have to swim relatively generous distance to reach the other side.

Natsuki and Shizuru were seated across from each other at a bench just off shore. As Mr. Sakumizu had warned his former pupil, Natsuki wasn't exactly let off the hook; books, pens, pencils, and paper were strewn across the stone table, accompanied with a single calculator. Natsuki, with her forehead propped up with one hand, tapped the butt of her pencil against the paper as she examined the equations almost cluelessly.

Shizuru patiently waited and watched, only speaking when Natsuki seemed to want her to. Trying to be supportive of Natsuki's efforts, she refrained from portraying any hint of amusement she felt toward the way Natsuki frowned - and it was a rather difficult task.

"Do you need any help with that equation?" The graduated upper-classman asked pleasantly. She laughed her light laugh when all she got in response was an aggravated growl. "Should I take that as a yes?" With yet another growl in return, the binder full of papers was pushed her way.

"I'm really glad I'm not in your shoes." Nao commented, walking up behind the cobalt-haired girl.

Natsuki scoffed as she turned to cross her legs without kicking Shizuru. "Yeah, I bet you are. I don't know why you want to retake a year."

Nao only shrugged, turning her gaze away to the others splashing around in the pond. "I don't care. Besides, there'll be less work there than in college, so I can take better care of mama."

Natsuki remained silent. She remembered that even though Nao was given her mother back, she still had to recover a bit more. Her mother was only just recently released from the hospital and was recovering at home.

There had been only a single time when Natsuki admitted to the redhead that she envied her for having a mother that was still alive and loved her. However, she knew that she would never look back to her past again; if she did, it might break her the way it had before. But, she also knew that she didn't need to look back anyway, now that she had Shizuru and Mai and everyone else.

"I hope your mother is doing well." Shizuru's statement came out more as a question.

Nao paused, briefly glancing Shizuru's way. The older girl noticed that she had stiffened slightly. "She is." The redhead answered softly.

Though Natsuki didn't see Nao's physical reaction, she could tell by the tone of her voice that Nao was still a bit unsure of Shizuru. She could see that Shizuru felt the same way about Nao's response; though Shizuru was still very skilled at painting her masks for others, Natsuki learned that you don't look onto the girl's beautiful face – you look into her eyes deep enough that you feel like the burgundy eyes are going to engulf your whole being.

"Hey Nao! You can swim, can't you? Come on in!" Mai called from the water, mercifully breaking the somewhat awkward silence.

Nao waved a dismissive hand. "Na, no thanks, I don't want to miss any of my mama's calls." She explained.

"We'll hold onto your phone for you." Shizuru suggested benevolently. "If she calls, we promise to let you know, right?" She turned to Natsuki, who responded with a wordless nod.

Nao looked at the two as if she was examining their words. She then sighed before nodding. "Fine." After resting the pink phone on the corner of the table, she stripped off her shirt and short skirt, revealing a deep red bikini that left little to the imagination. For further procrastination, Natsuki watched Nao until she disappeared underneath the mild currents.

Natsuki knew that Nao came just for the reason that she knew she'd be bored all day anyway. The cherry-haired girl always felt a little more monotonous during the summer than during the school year – the simple act of skipping a whole day of classes filled her with a greater sense of exhilaration than it did when she had a day off.

Yukino and Haruka were sitting at the edge of a dock nearby, wadding their feet in the water. Natsuki had no idea what they were talking about; her first thought was something that concerned being the "big boss" of the school. Though, Natsuki had no idea why the woman would keep going on about that when she wasn't even a student of Fuuka Academy. Perhaps the blonde was either just giving Yukino pointers as the new Head of Security at Fuuka; or she was talking about herself and the college she was planning to attend.

"Natsuki, don't forget about your make-up work." Shizuru reminded almost teasingly; to Natsuki, the reminder sounded almost cruel, but she knew that the older girl was just doing it for her own good. Besides, Shizuru knew that Natsuki would need a little push here and there to help her attention-span (or lack thereof).

After Natsuki completed the first six questions in a time of almost twenty minutes, Shizuru agreed to her plea of having a short break. Natsuki watched as Tate swung high over the lake then "cannonballed" into it. "That looks like fun." Shizuru commented.

"Psh! It's hard to imagine you doing that." Natsuki replied almost off-handedly with a skeptically-raised brow.

Shizuru smirked and nodded. "I guess I don't look like the type, hm?"

Turning back to the others taking turns launching themselves into the air with the rope, Natsuki lightly shook her head and stated bluntly, "No, not really," She heard the older girl giggle but say nothing; she _did_, however, feel something caress the side of her face, but it was something translucent – a ghost of a feeling, but warm just the same. Natsuki knew it well by now.

She knew her guess was correct when she shifted and turned her gaze away to the lush grass below her, because then, the feeling had retreated. She glanced up and saw that the crimson eyes were back to the sheet that contained the endless amounts of questions – away from her face. Natsuki knew when Shizuru understood once her staring at the younger girl would make her uncomfortable. She was glad for that, as she didn't need to say anything for Shizuru to understand; that was usually the case in such situations.

After a few more minutes of screams, music, chattering and loud splashes echoing through the trees, Shizuru finally suggested they get back to work. The opposite girl frowned and silently growled but obliged; she really wanted to get it over with. Her eye twitched when she heard Chie yell something to Yukino and in the few seconds that followed, the volume of the music increased. Though Natsuki preferred something close to rock, she made do with the pop/dance music booming from the boombox's speakers.

Shizuru slowly helped her every step of the way for most of the equations. After all, she was used to giving this kind of treatment for the underclassmen who desperately requested her help whenever she was available. For Natsuki, of course, she gave much more attention and care while giving the younger girl a chance to complete as much as she could on her own without giving a straight answer.

The taller girl pointed a finely manicured finger at yet another question that seemed to be giving the cyclist some trouble. "Here is where you divide "C" by the "e" to the "r" – which is "rate"- multiplied by "t" – which is time, as it's shown in the equation." She stated calmly and slowly so Natsuki could follow. A smile played on her face as she watched the curious yet annoyed jade eyes chase her finger across the page.

"So…" Natsuki dragged while scratching the back of her head, trying to comprehend what it was she was supposed to do. "That'll give me the initial amount given to decay?"

"Mn-hm." Shizuru confirmed almost cheerfully, bring her hand back so that she could lean her chin on it and continue watching the opposite girl in her struggles. While she watched her work, she unconsciously allowed herself to listen to the music as she waited for the recovering student's next question. Yet another Japanese popular-culture song ended and, after a brief commentary from the radio host, a new foreign song began. Curious, she listened to the lyrics and recognized the language. The longer she listened, the more engrossed she became by the words.

"Okay, finally done with that one." Natsuki exclaimed with a relieved sigh. She reluctantly moved onto the next one only to blankly stare at it for a few seconds, feeling the giant question mark hover over her head yet again. "Um… what is it asking me to solve for in this one?" She asked, her brow quirking when she got no response. Green eyes snapped up to Shizuru, who seemed to be in her own little daze; it was rather unlike her. "Shizuru?" Natsuki glanced in the direction the opposite girl seemed to be staring: on the dock, near the boombox. She looked back at her again, "Shizuru, are you okay?"

This time, Shizuru seemed to finally snap out of whatever reverie she was in. "Hm? Oh, oh yes, I'm fine, thank you." The older woman shifted herself so that she was fully facing Natsuki and her mass of clean and heavily-used scrap papers.

Natsuki gave the much more intelligent and sophisticated girl an odd look, complete with another quirked brow. "Like the song?"

The ocher-haired girl surreptitiously shifted herself more comfortably. Natsuki also noticed that said girl seemed to take her time in answering. "Well, I certainly understand it." Crimson orbs didn't mean hers until the last minute of her reply.

Natsuki had no idea what the other girl meant by that but chose not to ask her to elaborate. She took a few seconds to listen to the song, but her brows only furrowed bewilderedly. "Well, I sure can't understand whatever the hell it is they're saying."

Shizuru laughed at the rather bane-like way she delivered her comment. "It's in the English language, which would most likely be why. I remember English-Language was the class you skipped most frequently. My parents always insisted I learn it." Her reply was casual, keeping her eyes averted from Natsuki's.

Natsuki noticed this; was she trying to change the subject? "What's the song about?" She kept an impassive expression as she asked out of mild interest, turning her attention back to the books and papers in a blasé-like fashion.

Shizuru only glanced up to the green orbs turned away from her; was she purposely being cruel in asking these questions? She shook her head, "I don't quite know; the majority of the vocabulary seems to be still too sophisticated for my level of knowledge so far." _A lie. _Her heart pulled painfully at the awareness, but she painted yet another coat over her mask to keep it from presenting itself. It was all for the sake of Natsuki – to not make her feel uncomfortable or awkward by reminding her just how much she…

The ocher-haired girl could feel her pulse rise anxiously, something she very rarely felt if it was by the cause of someone other than the girl across from her: said girl had regarded her with an acute stare.

"To hear you say that something is "too sophisticated" for you is a very weird concept." The navy-haired girl stated blatantly.

Shizuru only blinked at her before – with her fingertips pressed lightly to her mouth – she burst into giggles. She allowed herself the pleasure of suggestively teasing the younger girl's leg with her bare toe. "Does Natsuki think I'm always sophisticated?"

"Ah-Apparently not!" Natsuki jumped and pinked severely at the sensation. She tried to kick the other girl's playful foot away only to slam her kneecap into the table. With a yelp, she grabbed her knee and decided to only wince at the pain until it subsided.

Shizuru looked at the wincing girl worriedly. "I'm sorry, Natsuki. Let me see,"

"N-no it's al-…huh?" Natsuki had looked opposite her only to find that the other girl was no longer there. She jumped again when she felt warm, small hands push away her own, followed by the pressing of warm lips against her throbbing bump. "Sh-Shizuru! That isn't really necessary, you know!?"

Shizuru stopped and looked up at her. "But I feel bad. I want to make it feel better." Going back to caringly kissing the reddened kneecap, Shizuru held her thigh in place with both hands wrapped securely around it.

"B-But…!"

"My god, you two! We're in a public place, have some decency would you!?" Haruka cut her off as she and a pinking Yukino passed by them to get more sunscreen from their bag nearby.

While Natsuki turned cherry-red, Shizuru only rested her hand against her cheek dreamily. "Forgive me, for my 'inner Kyohime' is running wild from being nestled between Natsuki's smooth legs."

Natsuki swore she could feel the heat from her face trickle out of her ears. "SHI-SHIZ-!!" In her frantic attempt to slip out of Shizuru's grasp, she lost her balance and fell onto her back behind her bench seat, her legs parted and resting high on its surface.

Palms braced themselves on the stone seat as Shizuru hovered over her. "My, my. What a way for Natsuki to present herself to me. I shall have to take advantage of this propitious moment…" With swirling crimson eyes, Shizuru giggled as she went to crawl under the bench to really nestle herself between the younger girl's legs.

Before she could, however, Natsuki took off like a bat out of hell, her toes kicking up clumps of dirt and grass while shrieking a string of protests and curses. Shizuru only laughed harder at her reaction. This was fine; this kind of playful teasing was perfect. Revealing the words to the song would have been too much for both as they reminded the Kyoto-native a great deal of whom she used to be – how she felt; what held her back from something she craved and dreamed about oh so much – what she still dreamed and craved for. Only out of respect for the girl she loved, she continued to hold a bit of herself back.

Of course a good portion of that "bit" would pop out once in a while: Shizuru had to dry the tears of laughter from her eyes with her violet handkerchief.

"It's not funny!!!" Natsuki screamed from her far distance.

"I'm sorry!" Shizuru yelled back between bursts of giggles. "I didn't mean to make you so upset!" Another fit of giggles burst from her when she heard the younger girl growl while turning away in a pout.

"Lecherous! Lecherous is what you are!!" Natsuki fumed.

Shizuru laughs began to slowly die down. "Aw! Natsuki's so mean to me, calling me a lecher! I could never be such a thing!" She grinned despite herself. "I simply can never allow myself to let such an opportune situation slip by, not when Natsuki displays herself so enchantingly." At the other girl's cruel silence, Shizuru gazed at her stiffened back earnestly. "Hard though the feat may be, would Natsuki really appreciate it if I changed? Because I know I certainly wouldn't like it if Natsuki were to change."

'Prob'ly, but there's a difference between yours and my case!' Natsuki had thought in her usual obdurate way; but however, the integrity that intermingled with the Kyoto-ben made Natsuki's tensing shoulders slowly drop, her anger gradually subsiding. _'If she changes, something which is irreplaceable will be lost. You'll know it; you'll feel it; you won't deny it.'_ A voice that sounded very much unfamiliar yet equally comfortable to her echoed in her head. Perhaps it was true. She very much doubted she'd admit it, however – that was just her way.

When she turned at the sound of an unexpected _splash_, her eyes watched in mild curiosity until the person flew in broke the rippling surface. Apparently her mind was locked in its reverie longer than she thought: her eye widened and nearly sputtered when she recognized the lovely face framed with wet-slicked, brownish-turned hair. Her striking grin was filled with pride as she stared back into the stunned green orbs from afar, wading in the still-churning waters.

'She didn't…' The same green orbs darted to the tree that held the rope: it was still swinging, slowly, limply settling itself. 'She did…?' It was proven true as the yells and cheers for Shizuru from the other girls finally fell on ears that were no longer deaf with her own thoughts.

"Woo-hoo!! Fujino-san! Do it again!" Midori cheered, slamming her fist awkwardly into the air from the water. Most everyone else she glanced had displayed their own versions of surprise and enthusiasm. "Brilliant, Fujino-san!" Reito smiled and applauded in his usual debonair way. Nao only showed an expression of mild - **mild** - intrigue. "Natsuki-chan, I can't believe you missed it! She did, like, three back-flips in a row!" Natsuki heard Aoi exclaim, trying to forego inwardly ranting of her dislike towards the suffix the cheery brunette used.

Instead, she glanced at Haruka's and Yukino's direction: Yukino looked surprised, giving the same look Shizuru would give her when she'd suddenly find her sitting at her laptop, originally thinking the room vacant; Haruka looked just plain shocked – her jaw had fallen so far down that she swore she could pack two, maybe three whole sandwiches in her mouth. As a matter of fact, there had been many times Natsuki had seen the hot-headed blonde with her mouth this open, but it was the first time that nothing ear-deafening came out of it.

Natsuki looked back to Shizuru, who was leisurely emerging from the waters onto shore. She hadn't seen the taller girl's bathing suit until now (in fact, she didn't even know she was wearing one) – it left little to the imagination. The way Shizuru's dripping, svelte body sauntered towards her… her cheeks grew warm.

Shizuru smiled her disarming smile, only two feet away from the adorably unintelligible gaze. She leaned forward, only slightly, her head tilted innocently to one side. "You should know, my dear Natsuki, that looks can be deceiving." Crimson hues eddied in her eyes upon the slightly shorter girl; her whisper almost scant from its softness.

'Oh, I know all too well, Shizuru.' Natsuki silently breathed, the gravity of the other girl's eyes weighing upon her own. She watched as the smile, as the seconds passed, slowly faded at her stillness. The eyes now swirled with a growing ache.

No. She didn't want her to think that she lacked any amount of trust in her. Never. She never wanted to see Shizuru hurt that way again. There was no longer a need to. Not at all.

"Yes, but apparently what you just did didn't change a thing about your teasing nature." Natsuki stated frankly after frantically rattling her brain for anything to take Shizuru's mind off the topic. Her anxious pulse slowed to a more comfortable pace as Shizuru's demeanor suddenly changed to surprise then to a light smugness. Now, Natsuki felt even more anxious.

"Oh, well, that's simply because I cannot resist it." Shizuru replied almost modestly. However, her eyes spoke volumes: _"I cannot resist _you_."_ Natsuki read it and suppressed the immediate shiver. Without notice, Shizuru came forward and wrapped the smaller girl in her arms. "I'm going to stay in your arms one way or another." It brushed against her ear, a whispered giggle. Despite its smooth air, it somehow shot through the cuddled body in a way that surprised her but didn't discomfort her.

Before Natsuki could even give any sort of look at the girl holding her, she remembered something else: Shizuru was still drenched in water.

Natsuki grimaced and shivered at the cold water seeping rapidly through her clothes. "Shizuru, c'mon, get off. You're making me wet!"

"Oh? I'm making Natsuki excited?" Shizuru gasped then giggled. "I never thought Natsuki would admit to me having such a pleasurable effect on her!"

"Wh-Wha-HUH!?" The hands that were on the dripping skin of Shizuru's waist immediately flew off far away from the body holding her, avoiding any contact with it. Her face was now burning (and "burning" was **the** perfect word to describe it). "N-N-NO!! TH-THAT WASN'T WH-WHAT I-!!" Natsuki tried to desperately move herself from Shizuru's embrace. However, her grasp was so tight that all she accomplished was tripping over her frenetically-moving feet and fall backwards. With a rather painful-sounding _Thud _into the greenest patches of grass, she brought the delightfully amused girl down with her.

Shizuru giggled more while she brought herself up a fraction to hover over Natsuki's disquieted façade. "Really Natsuki!" She playfully chided. "Committing these shameful acts and revealing such roguish information could be dangerous! Why, if I were any other boy, I'd be taking advantage you in a second!"

"LIKE YOU'D BE MUCH DIFFERENT!!" Natsuki bellowed with fury, jestingly wondering what was holding this audacious girl back from doing what "every other boy" would do.

"Yeah okay, you two need to be hosed down."

Both girls looked up to find a somewhat irked Nao standing over them with a hose in her hand. The redhead signaled to Haruka, who very willingly turned the valve to the hose.

Natsuki squinted as Nao unsympathetically aimed the spout…

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The azure-haired girl jumped and sputtered as a cold spray rained on her. When the spray stopped shortly after it started, she blinked her bewildered eyes a few times and looked up. What she saw made her nearly laugh; "Aw no, look at you!"

The panting Dhuran was absolutely drenched and his fur was stained with mud and grass. Natsuki surveyed the rest of the park and was relieved that the canine hadn't done much damage besides perhaps rolling in the grass after taking a frenzied swim. She did notice a few small, slapdash holes dug here and there, but she was sure (or at least hopeful) that she wouldn't be penalized for that.

Natsuki laughed despite herself as she looked back at Dhuran's curious gaze. The way he looked at her and the way his ears flopped as he turned his head, it looked as though he was asking, "What are you looking around for? I didn't do anything!"

Though smiling, Natsuki ran her hand tiredly across her face. "Okay, I think you've had more than enough fun for one day." 'I'm definitely going to bring a Frisbee next time.' She thought to herself laughingly. "C'mon mutt, let's go home and get you cleaned up." Natsuki pushed herself from the ground and slapped her knee, indicating for Dhuran to follow. The canine immediately went to trotting next to her, jumping to touch her hand with his head and nudging his upper body against her leg. Natsuki laughed again while gently scolding him for getting her pants wet and dirty. Though, of course, she didn't really care; she friggin'_**loved**_ this dog.

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Maroon eyes snapped up to her own, surveying her as though uncertain of how to comprehend the question she had been asked. The younger woman was hesitant by that particular look but didn't let it show. All she needed were answers. She didn't care if they were wrong or right, she just wanted them; she wanted clarity.

With an air of indifference, the other cleared her throat and turned her attention back to her industry's progress reports and letters from affiliated companies. "We had discussed this issue before, had we not?"

It was true, Shizuru had asked this very same question once or perhaps several times during her course from one bachelor to the next. Each time, her mother had answered with the same words: You are in your prime dear, you should snatch a good, wholesome man before it's too late; Because we want you to have children to carry on the family name and industry; A man can help manage the company with you when you've fallen behind or become unable to continue supervision.

"Yes, we had. I understand all that you explained, but it still seems so superficial." Shizuru remarked, watching the tip of her mother's gold pen scribble side notations on one of the progress reports laid on her large desk.

In a fluid motion, her mother removed her small glasses and gazed at her almost thoughtfully. "I understand how arduous this task must be for you. However, having a husband to help guide and support you in your life is indeed _very_ necessary." She leaned towards her daughter, fixing her with a grave stare. "Admirable though it may seem, holding independence is _not_ an option."

Shizuru met her stare as her mother drew back into her chair. "Although I would have indeed enjoyed such an alternative, that wasn't exactly what I had in mind when I asked the reason why having a husband is necessary at all." She occupied her pause by crossing one leg over the other and straightening her modest, pleated skirt. "I was simply venturing for the true freedom of choice when it came to who I spend the rest of my life with." The way her daughter looked back at her – even if at first glance it held a sense of total unconcern - made it seem as though it was more than just an assertion but a request.

Though her claret eyes softened with consideration for her daughter's feelings, they never lost their severity concerning the importance of the topic. "You're father would have wanted you to be wed to a man of worthy statute. I truly understand your desire to search for that special someone yourself. However, allowing you to decide from the common people of a lower class than our own will only lead to men wanting you for your beauty and money and nothing more."

It was ironic that almost every male the younger Fujino had been forced to socialize with seemed to care only about those qualities despite their own abundance of money. This acknowledgement alone nearly made her face fall, but held fast so she wouldn't concern her mother.

"Has this anything to do with your Kuga friend?" There was a lengthy pause from the other – or maybe hesitation. Her mother continued, "I could see from the first day I laid eyes on her that she _lived_ on independence… you shouldn't look up to her in such a way… it's unhealthy…" Her comments came between intervals of pauses as she further surmised the reasons for her daughter's behavior.

The air grew thick with something unexplainable … indescribable. Her daughter's entire demeanor seemed to change to something of deathly starkness. The older almost gasped when Shizuru's nearly cavernous eyes gazed up to meet hers. "Unhealthy?" She repeated sardonically, raising a brow as though curious. The lighter-haired woman staring back into her mother's disturbed gaze knew that the word wasn't used in the specific context she felt it was used. However, just the word alone being used in any fashion to describe her relationship to Natsuki was enough to make her fingers curl. The mocking expression left as quickly as it came. Her dark gaze dropped but her thoughts churned. "Very well,"

Seamlessly, Shizuru rose from her seat and bowed in a way that seemed as though it was somehow feigned. "Thank you for your time, mother."

Her mother watched her exit the room. Shizuru's retreating stride was one she had never witnessed her own daughter personalize: it was confident – as it should be – but it was hardly elegant like she had always been taught since childhood. If it could be described as a dialect, it was the slang within a language.

When the door finally closed, Setsuka leaned back into her chair, trying to decipher what had just happened. As though on cue, the door slowly opened again. Girochi leisurely strode in, hands in his pockets, expression barren. "What did I tell you? Our little girl's been poisoned in the mind… and it's that Kuga-girl's fault."

Setsuka was silent, gazing at him fretfully, trying so hard to think and make sense of the situation. "I… don't think that her friend is to blame for all this… at least not wholly… but, what can we do to alter Shizuru's feelings concerning this girl?" She didn't understand her brother-in-law's reasons for smirking in such a pleased manner.

"Leave it to me…"

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The song used in the flashback can be whatever you want it to be. The particular I thought of while I was writing the scene was Iio's "Kiss You", I just heard it one time and I thought it was perfect for Shizuru, at least for the majority of the lyrics:

"I'd wake up and make love to you if I had you,

I wanna touch you so much, but I'm not allowed to,

What I hate is to wait, but in this case I'm patient,

I'm discreet, I'm not weak, I just need a moment.

If I leaned over and tried to kiss you,

Would I be wrong after so long to kiss you?

Would you pretend that we're only friends if I kiss you?

At least I can dream of you in the scene when I kiss you.

On one hand, we are friends, but still my mind it wanders,

Through sad streets and alleys, I just keep growing fonder,

To stop me's not easy, can't keep the lion from hunting (( - absolutely LOVE this for Shizuru XD))

I'm focused, I want this, there's no control of some things."

**BUT**, I'm not usually the type to mix songs in chapters and anyway I figured it'd be best to let the reader use whatever song he/she felt fit Shizuru's feelings. But "Kiss you" was mine in case any were wondering…. Anyway (I know, the millionth "anyway"), I had a lot of fun writing this chapter so I hope you enjoy reading it :) As for the title, I figured might as well call it the name of the song I thought of. For those who review, I'm curious as to what song you think of that would best suit Shizuru in her situation.

Next, Shizuru decides to take Natsuki somewhere that night.


	10. Decisive Battle

Do not own Mai-HiME characters.

WOW… I'm sooooo sorry for how long this took; a lot of this took a lot of cranking, if you know what I mean. This is the longest by far of them all. Forgive me if there are a lot of errors, I've been writing this somewhat rushed so it may seem erred in some places. I'm planning to have an epilogue or two or three (I've been waiting for these, hehe). I hope you all like it!

For one of these scenes (you'll figure out which one fast), I was watching the music video Watchin' by Freemasons for the obvious reasons that you will see when you read the chapter. Also, during the same scene, I listened to Beyonce's Green Light (Freemasons Mix) a lot, only because, even though it'd be SO OOC for Shizuru, the beginning made me think of her and wonder, "how would she look if she was giving the camera (meaning Natsuki) the _eye_ while saying that first sentence the same way Beyonce was singing it those couple of times. I guess not only the beginning but a bit of the rest of the song too. Anyway, "You'll see," hehe. XD

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Chapter 10: Decisive Battle

Natsuki grunted as she shifted her weight on the pebble stones. 'I hope Dhuran will be okay, I hated leaving him alone like that.' She thought as she tightened the bolt on the motorcycle's chassis. Her body hunched over the bike to bring her view closer to the object of her attention. 'Though then again, he didn't seem to mind. He practically collapsed after the day we had. I think it was the bath that really did him in.' She grinned at the memory of watery suds and mud being splattered over both of their faces and nearly covered the tile floor. Really, the event itself was more like a wrestling match as, _clearly_, the dog didn't like baths. Eventually _both_ of them were in the tub together. She didn't want to get Shizuru's car wet from her soaked clothes, so she stripped down and washed and dried her clothes. It took her almost twenty minutes to remember how to use the washer and dryer.

By the time she got back, it was pretty far into the afternoon and she knew Shizuru wouldn't be available, so she came back to continue working on the motorcycle. She was excited to realize that, even though there had been several problems with the bike, she was nearly done with all the major repairs. Thanks to her many motorcycle years, she knew a lot of quick tips and tricks to make a beaten up bike run like new.

Taking a short break to move her stiffened body, she took out the handkerchief that hung out of her back pocket and wiped her mildly-greasy hands. Dusk had come faster than she had expected. The several bright colors she had noticed around her when she first made her way here had now taken on a slightly more grayish hue. She inhaled as she stretched her back into an arch, finding the sound of trickling water behind her and the smell of a forests early-evening dew very relaxing.

In mid-arch, her cell rang. She didn't know why, but this time she had her phone inserted into the gully between her smallish breasts, the phone held there by her bra. Needless to say, the sudden aggressive vibration against her breasts while in her tight arch startled her so that her head almost made impact with the bike's seat.

"Ye-yeah??" Natsuki's voice shook into the speaker, trying to compose herself and lighten her blush. 'I'm never putting it there again.' She thought, her pinked face in her free hand.

"_Natsuki? Where are you?_" Shizuru's curious voice came through the receiver.

Natsuki's brow quirked – somehow it seemed fitting that Shizuru would be the one to call while her own phone is between her breasts. 'Figures,' she had thought. She then remembered Shizuru's question. "Oh, um, I'm here with the bike. Dhuran's sound asleep at your house."

"_It sounds like you two had a good day then, I'm glad. Are you tired at all?_" Shizuru seemed to ask in a matter that Natsuki recognized – the older woman had something on her mind, something that involved the both of them.

"Not really, why?" pressing the phone between her ear and her shoulder, she took the rag and wiped off the excess grease and oil from the bike's body. "Do you have something planned?" Somehow she subconsciously knew the answer.

"_I do, as a matter of fact. I want to take you out tonight. Would you like to?_"

Natsuki noticed the cheery note in which Shizuru used. "Uh, sure. I'll have to dress up, won't I?" That was her least favorite part of going out with anybody. For only a select few, she would allow herself to dress up in formal wear.

"_Not at all, it's definitely very casual. Would you mind meeting me out by my car in a couple minutes?_"

"Yeah sure, I'll see you in a bit." With that, she flipped her phone shut and stuck it back in her br-… front pocket.

The cover was thrown back over the bike and the tools were collected into a pile along the under-wall of the bridge. Natsuki followed the brook's edge until she came close to what she recognized as the curve of the driveway. From there, she carried on till she came to the two cars parked in front of the house. She hadn't noticed the older woman until she was standing right next to her immaculate car.

Shizuru took her time in stepping down the front steps, regarding the younger girl with a confident look and sure smile. Natsuki smiled back as she came closer to the slightly taller girl. There was something about Shizuru's demeanor that seemed different about her, but Natsuki couldn't put her finger on it; it was a little too dark to tell anyway. She shrugged it off. What she did notice was the thin three-quarter length leather coat she had on. The only part of her outfit that could be seen was her… _jeans?_

"Are you ready?" Shizuru asked. Despite the sweet air that encircled the simple question, something about Shizuru's mysterious demeanor made her seem as though she wasn't very willing to wait whatever Natsuki's answer may be.

"Um, yeah, I'm just… I've hardly ever seen you wear jeans." Natsuki commented, gazing down at the article of clothes and noticing that, despite their long length, they seemed to ever so slightly rise from the ground. 'Just how high are her heels? And are those bell-bottoms??'

Shizuru gave a light laugh. "Yes, well, I knew I would need them because I'm going to need the… _maneuverability_. Anyway, shall we?" Without waiting for her answer this time she made her way to her side of the car.

Natsuki had no idea what the hell kind of undertone Shizuru placed in there and decided not to ask. Without a word, she slipped into the passenger seat. When they came to the somewhat traffic-congested thruway, Shizuru finally spoke. "You're hair looks cute in a ponytail." She commented.

Natsuki blinked before she remembered that she had indeed put her hair up when she came back to Shizuru's parent's house. "Oh, yeah, I just put it up so that I wouldn't get grease in it." She idly fingered the hair that she left out of the tie to frame her face. "I'm getting split ends." She murmured to herself as she brought the uneven ends close to her nose.

The other girl laughed. Natsuki didn't care about a lot of things about what other people saw when they looked at her or what made her feel comfortable or uncomfortable; she only thing about her that she did seem to care about was the health of her hair. Shizuru discovered that little fact soon after they started getting closer in school. It was perhaps the most feminine part about Natsuki's nature, right next to her interest in lingerie (thank the gods).

More minutes passed. Natsuki rested her cheek on her fist, elbow propped up onto the armrest hear the window. The red taillights entertained her eyes as she watched each one pass their car in the next lane. Casually looking over to Shizuru's side, she noticed again the coat she was wearing. "Are you really that cold? It doesn't seem that bad to me and I'm wearing a tank-top."

Shizuru gave a mild shrug. "I guess the atmosphere has felt a little cooler to me lately." She couldn't give anything away. Not yet.

Until her eyes wandered to the lit A/C button below the radio tuner, Natsuki had accepted that. Even if someone was wearing a coat as long as that to warm themselves, how would having the A/C button on help? Natsuki only briefly quirked her brows before resting her cheek back onto her fist. Perhaps Shizuru just hadn't noticed it was on.

Another twenty minutes passed before Shizuru finally parked the car along a curb. Natsuki curiously looked around as she got out. Apparently this strip was quite the "hot-spot" for the younger people. At least it looked it as it somewhat resembled the more lively streets in the city near Fuka Academy. It actually reminded her a lot like the strip where Nao would pick up a lot of her "johns" except this was much my stylish and sophisticated, as you'd expect from a Kyoto avenue. Respectable boutiques for all classes dotted the street and high neon signs marked the spots for busy produce markets. Above the roofs of Kyoto was a dome of spectacular cool colors. The coming of the dark and starlight – purple, blood-red and deep ocean-blue layered over the patches of grey clouds.

"Wow," Natsuki exclaimed, her eyes passing high over one end of the street to the other. "Nice place."

Shizuru shut her car door, gathering her purse from the back seat. "I knew you'd like it." She smiled. "Come, it's a block down across the street. I'd park closer but it's always difficult to find a spot there."

"Where?" Natsuki finally asked as she was yanked down the street by Shizuru's hand grabbing hers. She was being surprisingly feisty today, Natsuki noticed. She also noticed that the older girl's strut wasn't… she didn't know, 'Flowing' like that of a classy model striding down the runway like she usually walked. Now, there was a bit more… _fire_ in her step. Did her mom or uncle notice that at all?

"A handsome and popular lounge I discovered a while ago." Though Shizuru answered confidently, she seemed to purposely not make any eye contact with the girl beside her as she spoke. This made Natsuki feel only a little uneasy, but perhaps it was just her.

After passing a few markets and café's which were teeming with life, the entrance came to view. Then it hit her – A night lounge? But isn't that usually code for…

Then she was at the golden-framed security-handled double-doors of _The Red Fox Night Lounge_. Natsuki's jaw slacked as her neck was still craned up toward the neon sign. 'A Night Club!?' Natsuki watched wordlessly as Shizuru spoke to one of the security men who held the clipboard of names. The burly, bald and neatly suited-up man scanned down the clipboard and scratched it with his pen. After his affirming nod, Shizuru led the slack-jawed girl through the dark wooden doors.

Crossing the doorway was like the force field that snapped her back into reality and allowed her to finally think: "You BROUGHT ME to a NIGHTCLUB!?" Natsuki was nearly floored at the thought of the Best Character awarded student belonging to a night club or to be interested in _this_ kind of crowd: People were drinking at a very long bar at one side of the room; men and women danced almost scantly on the spacious dance floor (then again, despite the large floor space the dance floor offered, little seemed to be available as the place was apparently packed tonight); people were enjoying cigars and cigarettes in near the open multi-colored windows available (which suddenly made Natsuki want a cigarette very badly but for other and more obvious reasons than that).

"Well, at least it holds a sense of class, unlike the many other nightclubs that are stationed in warehouses and concert arenas." Shizuru collectedly explained as she guided her towards a seat at the polished, white steal-rimmed and glass-topped bar. Small lights of multiple colors hung directly over the bar-top with shades of multi-colored blown glass.

As Shizuru seated herself onto the steel-and-leather stool, Natsuki gazed around the room uncertainly. Taking a closer look, she noticed that people were comfortably seated in black leather chairs and couches, casually chatting as they were just out of the way of the dance floor. Delicate candles and what looked like European-Japanese converted lights and lamps decorated each and every corner of the room, setting off a sense of sophistication and style. Casually and finely dressed people alike were enjoying themselves and held the upbeat mood. Taking all of these to note, Natsuki understood what Shizuru meant. But still!

Still a little uneasy, Natsuki maneuvered herself onto the stool. The music wouldn't exactly have been her first choice, but perhaps rock would have been a little out of place for this kind of club when compared to the typical club and dance music it was currently sporting.

When she caught Shizuru's voice, she turned to see if the she was talking to her, only to find that she was talking to the bartender. The usual, she had said. Natsuki's eyes widened, she had a "usual" here? Natsuki's green eyes darted to the side as a thought crossed her mind. "Shizuru, aren't you afraid of someone recognizing you in a place like this?" Out of caution, she asked under her breath. It was also more out of habit for the similar situations she'd been in with the moles she had hired to uncover records.

Shizuru only smiled in her sure way. "Not at all," She answered with a simple shake of her head. "Besides, it's not as though they can hold anything over me by seeing me here compared to seeing me in a gay bar or something of the like."

You know when you swallow and inhale at the same time, making you go into a coughing fit? That's what Natsuki experienced right after hearing that little statement. Shizuru promptly ordered her a drink to help settle her. It took the navy-haired girl a rather long while to say anything as she just eyed the crowd as they moved with the beat on the lit dance floor.

"So um," Natsuki cleared the raspy sound that came from her throat and suddenly found an interest in her naked fingernails. "How did you find out about this place?"

"One of my first suitors brought me here on our first date. He was a man who had a large interest in style and an even greater interest in money, mine particularly." Shizuru casually explained while not turning her gaze to the other girl. If she had, she would've been the only one to notice Natsuki subtly grind her jaw. "He and I had a few drinks, talked right at this bar, and danced."

Natsuki's eyes narrowed, but for one main reason. "You're not going to make me dance, are you?"

Shizuru grinned at her before opening her mouth. However, when the song changed to an easy beat, the older girl stopped and looked as though she was considering something. Shizuru grinned, "As if on queue," Natsuki looked at her in horror. _Oh please no…_ Before she could run back to the car to lock herself inside it, Shizuru grabbed her hand. _Oh please god no…_ the tawny-haired girl handed her purse to the bartender, "Keep an eye on this for me?" She politely asked in her sweet (almost flirtatious) tone. The bartender – a woman perhaps a little older than Shizuru herself and almost as attractive – gave a delightful "of course," and took the purse and set it underneath the bar table. Shizuru was just about to continue pulling her onto the dance floor when she remembered her coat.

As the slightly taller girl quickly went back to her stool, Natsuki looked back towards the people dancing and already felt the anxiety swelling up. "Shizuru, c'mon! You know I ca-…" She stopped as the tawny-haired girl stepped in front of her again. Trying her dear best to keep her jaw from crashing through the floor, she nearly lost her breath at the sight of the outfit the older girl was wearing:

She'd never seen jeans that complimented the form of a woman's legs so well, nor had she ever seen Shizuru wear a jean vest that she _swore_ usually recommended a shirt underneath – the hem came so high that her navel could be seen quite clearly, while the "V" part of the article went so low that she swore she could see the curve of Shizuru's bra – her long, loose tawny hair was just enough to keep from allowing everyone a "perfect view". The collared vest had a black lace trim and instead of buttons it "hooked" together as though it was a corset – needless to say, it flatteringly hugged her curves and accentuated the sheer beauty her body possessed.

Deep inside her mind, the only word that formed for the briefest available second was a tiny-voiced "_Shit._"

She heard Shizuru giggle within her throat. "Natsuki, what _are_ you _staring_ at?" As though bashful by Natsuki's gawking, her cheeks pinked and sheepishly bit her lower lip.

Natsuki then blinked herself back into reality, shaking off her own blush. "I-I… um…" Jade eyes were glued to the floor.

Shizuru giggled again before taking her hand. "Come on," She lured, guiding her to the dance floor. Natsuki was too busy mentally kicking herself to consciously follow where Shizuru was leading her: "Very articulate, Natsuki." She thought sarcastically.

Shizuru brought her to the middle of the dance floor, a wall of bodies encircling them. "Are you ready?"

"Um, Shizuru, you know I can't dance." Natsuki tried to drill the words 'So why don't we just drop this altogether?' into her head, but apparently it wasn't working at all.

"Well, then I'm just going to have to teach you." Shizuru smiled a smile in which Natsuki recognized a lot of things – it was almost feral like the heated look that rimmed the darkest circle of crimson. The older girl gently took her wrists and brought them around her waist. The navy-haired girl's heart began to pound as her hands felt Shizuru's flawless curves, her arms encircling the lithe form. She had to take a breath just to calm herself, which didn't really benefit Shizuru as she had to suppress the shiver she felt at the feel of Natsuki's warm breath caressing her neck.

Shizuru continued by crossing her arms behind Natsuki's rather toned back, her slender fingers hooking onto the belt loops so that she could help guide her. Slowly, she brought Natsuki against her lower body, their hips pressing together. Shizuru giggled again, sending puffs of air down the side of Natsuki's neck.

Supple lips drew close to Natsuki's ear, "Move with me." She whispered, deep and thick, causing her natural accent to become all the more alluring. Natsuki's hips jerked at the initial feel of Shizuru's hips moving and rotating against hers with the music. Her fingers were stiff on her back as she felt her body and skin move beneath the jean vest.

'Don't look at her eyes. Don't look at her eyes!' Forest green eyes were glued to Shizuru's right shoulder. Natsuki had no idea why she kept telling herself this, but something gave her the feeling that if she did, she'd end up somehow embarrassing herself by doing something stupid. As if it wasn't bad enough that her heartbeat rang louder in her ears than the music did, making her already confused as to where and when her hips should move. She nearly gasped as Shizuru pressed their bodies a little closer together where she could feel the subtle friction between their stomachs.

Despite the rather jive-like feel of the music, Shizuru rotated their hips in somewhat slow and deliberate movements. Her forest-green eyes peeked up; the scorching look in Shizuru's deep scarlet eyes make her breath come shorter. Natsuki could not ignore the seductive undertone in both accounts. Her green eyes involuntarily tried to slip down to hers and Shizuru's hips only to get an eyeful of the older girl's visible and perspired cleavage. During her back-breath and her attempt to pull her vision back up, she caught a whiff of the musky yet flowery scent about her. She felt dizzy and sultrily hot. Was it the room? She eventually felt Shizuru caress her cheek with the tip of her nose and then her cheek like a kitten nuzzling her surrogate mother.

The lightheaded feeling continuing, she let her head fall into Shizuru's neck, letting the older girl carry her body through the music. She heard her giggle, "You're a fast learner, Natsuki," was whispered hotly in her ear before lips pressed against it. Natsuki moaned, what was happening? The flashes of dim lights, the growing and musky heat, the smooth rhythm and enchanting voices: apart from being in Shizuru's arms, she forgot where she was. Her body then began to follow the rhythm on its own accord now while matching her partner's lead. She heard her gasp when her fingers boldly touched her hot skin, soon dipping beneath the hem of her vest.

"Natsuki." Shizuru giggled breathily before moving to press her lips to her cheek, along her jaw, down her neck, along its curve from the neck to her shoulder. The soft moan she received made her lips tremble with the throat she kissed. She could taste the beads of sweat gathering on her skin. Her brow quirked with pleased intrigue as she thought she felt the navy girl's hips grind against her harder. She wanted so badly to request that she part her legs, allowing her room to insert one of her own between, but she feared being too blunt toward the younger girl.

When Shizuru pulled her lips away, she was surprised to feel Natsuki's touch against the corner of her own. "Such a cruel tease you are, Natsuki." She tried to keep the moan out of her voice as she tried to turn and meet those pink lips. But, of course, Natsuki was even crueler by quickly pulling away at the last minute so Shizuru just missed, diverting them instead to press them against the small, soft bit of skin beneath the jade-eyed girl's chin. Butterflies; that was something Shizuru hadn't felt in a very long time, not since she first laid eyes on the beauty she held in her arms only now. However, it was something she couldn't deny feeling now as they seemed to unknowingly play this game of Cat-and-Mouse between each other: their lips would only barely touch and would instead often press against any available skin - Cheek, neck, collarbone, chin, breastbone, shoulder. It was almost like a primal attraction struck between them, an unstoppable force.

Soon, when lips seemed too little a force, hands and fingers touched the skin of stomachs, arms, mid and lower backs. When her hand experimentally caressed Natsuki - breastbone to hip and back up along her curved side, the tips of her fingers trailing over an already-pert nipple - the quiet, drawn out moan and nails she felt almost penetrate her back she earned nearly hazed her crimson eyes over completely.

"Yes, this is perfect." She whispered unconsciously against Natsuki's collarbone. "I don't need to prove to _them_ of how natural and pristine this feels with you." Her lips closed over the bone again.

'_Them_?' Natsuki ignored the soft suction and slick feeling of the tip of a tongue against her skin this time. The haze dropped from her vision like cool water pouring over her very warm body. She soon stopped dancing as she placed her hand over Shizuru's loose tawny hair. "Shizuru? What do you mean '_Them_'? Your mother and uncle?" At Shizuru's stunned yet careful pause, Natsuki continued, her eyes boring almost strictly into those gazing back into her. "What did they say?"

Shizuru sighed, silently wishing she had never mentioned it. She only wished Natsuki would understand as now she felt as though she had forced the younger girl into something out of her own self-centered nature. "My mother seems to be convinced that you're not the kind I should be spending my time with. She claimed it was 'unhealthy'. I didn't like hearing her talk about me, or you, in that manner." She explained, speaking over the music. She watched as Natsuki's gaze swept downward for a moment. The silence bringing her to a state of unease, she was about to speak when, to her surprise, Natsuki seemed to chuckle.

"So," Natsuki paused with a very small smile. "You were rebelling?" She chuckled again, finding the idea of the perfect, courteous top-student rebelling to be quite amusing, perhaps even unheard of.

Shizuru smiled despite herself. "Put simply, yes. But my purposes never included hurting you in any way. I…"

"I know." Natsuki interrupted, smiling empathetically at the other girl's chargeable expression. "I know the feeling real well." She stated in her city-earned slang.

The ocher-haired girl smiled back, her arms falling back to her sides, allowing both her and Natsuki a step back if she wished (which, to her surprise, she didn't take but simply remained where she stood). "Well, do you wish for me to take you back?" Shizuru asked softly, the shame still somewhat evident in her tone because of what she had almost pulled Natsuki into because of her loss of emotional control. Natsuki also the soft change that Shizuru went from Rebellious Shizuru to Natural Shizuru by the way the older girl spoke since she discovered Shizuru's reasons for her behavior.

"Well, can't we…" Natsuki hesitated for a second, not believing what she was about to ask. "Can't we just dance a little longer? This time with less… erm…" She blushed.

"Touching and kissing?" Shizuru couldn't help but grin as she finished for her. At Natsuki's sheepish nod, she answered with a smile, "I would love to." Being able to dance with Natsuki was just as good as any pleasure she'd received that night. That, she would never doubt.

And so they continued dancing, this time without the exchange of heated looks but instead smiles which grew with every second. Shizuru couldn't help but laugh at Natsuki's sudden confidence when it was still rather clear that she was an inexperienced dancer. Yet another thing to love about her – she never gives up. She only toyed with her once, just to see how Natsuki would react, by making her body do a quick shimmy during a short but strong percussion solo. She burst out laughing then too since the look of Natsuki's bulging eyes was priceless. Finally they ended their last dance with their arms around each other so that the other could keep their balance after dancing for nearly over four songs in a row.

Following behind, Natsuki watched Shizuru fluff her hair with her hand as they walked back to the bar. After retrieving the older girl's purse with another polite 'Thank you' to the friendly bartender, they both took one more drink to cool down and left.

When they came outside, they were both surprised at the amount of rain that poured in heavy waves onto the streets. As the rainfall came in silvery trails, water speckled their faces, cooling their skin from the heat indoors.

"Oh my," Shizuru brought her arm up to shield her face from the droplets of water spraying onto her eyes. "I didn't think it was going to rain tonight, it looked to be a beautiful night when we came."

"Yeah, me either." Despite the surprise, the cool damp breeze refreshed her body. She closed her eyes as she ran her hands through her tied hair and grimaced at the feeling of sweat along her hairline and the side of her face. "Mnh, great, my hair's sticking to me. I hate that." Natsuki complained as she tried to slide her wet hair free from her cheeks and neck.

Shizuru chuckled, "You keep complaining about your hair. Maybe it's the length that's bothering you. Have you thought about cutting it?" She asked curiously as she dug through her purse for her retractable umbrella.

"Short?" It was the first time a thought like that crossed her mind. Taking a lock of hair into her fingers, she gazed at it for a few seconds. "Maybe," She pictured herself with boyishly short hair and after a few minutes shook her head. "No, I don't think I'd like it even if it was cut to my shoulders. Besides, I don't really want to outwardly look like I'm…" Natsuki stopped, not wanting to go further. She then looked both ways across the street before starting towards the car, not at all caring at the moment to wait for Shizuru's umbrella to be found.

Shizuru's eyes widened in amazement: did she almost say what she thought she almost said? She then smirked devilishly. She _had_ to find a way to make her say it! Any way she could! Even if just a whisper! "Outwardly look like you're… what?" Shizuru playfully lured as she hurried to follow.

Natsuki pinked, determinedly fixing her attention down the sidewalk. "N-nothing." She quickened her already fast walk.

"Who else has a boyish visage when they're really girls?" Shizuru carried on her curious tone.

Natsuki hesitated. "Stereotypes."

Almost there! "Stereotypes of what?"

Natsuki's eye twitched. "Girls who like other girls." She muttered under gritted teeth.

Shizuru looked down while tapping her index finger against her chin. She looked as though she was musing over an in-depth psychology question. "Oh yes… oh what's the term for girls who fall in love with other girls? Mnh, it's on the tip of my tongue…" She dragged on. "Why can't I…"

"LESBIAN!!" Natsuki bellowed as she sharply turned in the middle of the sidewalk. "I don't want everyone to know that I find girls attractive!! So quit acting stupid because I know that YOU'RE even GAYER than I AM!!" When the red-faced girl finally stopped, her eyes widened as she noticed that the rain had suddenly been let up a surprisingly great deal. She gazed up at the dark steel clouds that rolled passed. 'You just have impeccable timing.' She thought to the skies before nervously looking around any gawking faces. Though there seemed to be only a few, she was relieved to know that she was right in front of Shizuru's Mercedes. She quickly escaped into the car.

Although indescribably pleased inside, Shizuru calmly followed with a smile that resembled a mother that was proud of her child. With a quick shake of her umbrella, she spoke. "Well, I'm glad you were finally able to say that, Natsuki." Shizuru innocently stated with a hint of playfulness as she shut her driver door. Then, she gave the girl next to her an honest, small but sweet smile. "I'm proud of you."

Natsuki rolled her eyes and gave her a dull look that obviously said 'Oh shut up Shizuru.'

"Ugh man, I'm wet again!" Natsuki mumbled to no one in particular as she took a handkerchief Shizuru then lent her and rubbed it on her face and through her hair. When she glanced over to Shizuru she rolled her eyes, "And CUT THAT OUT!!"

Shizuru's lips were pursed to keep herself from grinning, while a light blush dabbed her cheeks, all the while her eyes were closed. "I didn't say anything." She countered, the laughter trying its dear best to break through with each word - Natsuki could hear that.

"Yeah, but I know you were _thinking _it!" The younger girl growled as she opened her car door a couple inches to ring the edge of her shirt outside.

With a grin, a light blush and a bite on her lower lip, Shizuru muttered under her breath, "You know me too well. So what did you and Dhuran do today?" She asked nonchalantly, seamlessly replacing her mask of playful desire with good chat as she switched gears from park to drive and started down the avenue.

Trying to dry her long azure hair out faster, Natsuki untied her hair and rolled a window open. "Oh, I took him to a park a couple blocks down from your house. Apparently, the earth is his best friend – I had to give him a bath as soon as I got him back to your house. He got me drenched in water and dog shampoo, so I had to use your washer and dryer."

Shizuru looked at her with a mix of surprise and rather extreme curiosity. "What clothes did you wear in the meantime?"

"W-well, I didn't know where your room was and I couldn't find one of your bathrobes or anything so…" Natsuki reddened and whispered, "Nothing." At Shizuru's stunned (but obviously gleeful) look, "I had nothing to wear! I mean I sure as hell wasn't going to wear _your_ underwear and you _know_ how uncomfortable it makes me to wear clothes without something _under_ them! I-I had no choice!" She tried frantically to explain, turning redder.

"Oh, well, you know that's absolutely fine with me, but," – the tips of her fingers went to the center of her breastbone – "I'm just curious as to what the neighbors might have thought!"

Natsuki then whipped around to look at her, horrorstricken. "Oh God!!" She covered her hands with her face to ease the burn of her blush. When Shizuru laughed and said 'not to worry, that she was just kidding and that they couldn't possibly have seen her' she only was responded with a muffled and almost trembling "yeah right."

Once the everlasting wave of absolute end-of-my-life embarrassment finally settled over the poor girl, she slouched back in her car seat. She sighed at the feel of the cool wind against her cheek and neck, evaporating the washed-sweat from her upper body. Shizuru couldn't help but glance from time to time at the wonderful glow the moon had on the damp skin. The shine it gave made it look as though Natsuki's skin was a divine silvery hue, which made her azure hair sparkle and shimmer so beautifully - Natsuki had the unmistakable look of a moon goddess. She wanted so much to lean over and kiss that skin, to worship it, to be taken by it from all five senses.

The simple sight alone was a danger to her senses and focus as it drew her attention far more easily than the road did. When she forced herself to keep her eyes on the road, she looked down at herself and nearly laughed. "Oh, Natsuki, do you mind if we go back to my house for a moment? I must change my attire before my uncle or my mother catch me wearing it."

Natsuki, who had had her eyes closed at the time, blinked the beginnings of fatigue out of them and glanced at the digital clock by the dash. "It's half passed eleven, you sure they won't be asleep before we get there?"

Shizuru gave a light shrug. "I don't want to take any chances." With the younger girl's permission, the older girl turned in the direction of her house.

Eventually, Natsuki recognized the sight, sound and even the smell of aging leaves and freshly-watered flowers that accompanied the character that was Shizuru's neighborhood. As they turned into the driveway, Shizuru's handkerchief slipped from the hand that hung from the open window. Natsuki eyed it as it wafted through the fading wind and toppled onto itself on a patch of leaves on the other side of the road. "I'll get it." Natsuki said as they parked.

When she got out, she caught a red flash at the bottom of her eye. With a curious blink, she looked down at the sea of space-black asphalt along the side of the car, trying to see if she could catch it again. Finding nothing, she shrugged – she was tired, and perhaps it was a trick of the light after being in that city.

Natsuki made her way across the somewhat narrow road, searching for the handkerchief. When she found it, she picked it up and tried to whip the collected water from it. Not thinking much of anything, her eyes absentmindedly looked around as she continued to dry it. Her eyes caught onto a car parked along the side of the road, only a few yards away from Shizuru's entrance. She'd never seen it before, but she just got a very… _odd_ feeling from it. She mentally shook her head, 'C'mon Natsuki,' She thought, 'First flashing lights and suspicious cars?' – she then mentally laughed at herself - Being tailed by First District has apparently taken a toll on you.'

Green orbs looked up as she heard Shizuru laugh. "He's awake and seems eager to see you!" She heard the other girl call with a bright smile. Natsuki couldn't help but grin back at the sight and sound of a dog yipping and jumping up and down against the window. The green eyes flinched when a bright pair of headlights rolled over the corners of her eyes. Shielding her eyes with her arm, she eyed the approaching mid-size car, letting out a sigh of annoyance towards yet another person who doesn't know how to use their high and low beams. Her eyes then traveled back to Shizuru and saw she was having trouble at the door and, eventually, it looked as though the door burst open on her.

Before Natsuki could ask her what the trouble was, she saw Dhuran bound for her. Natsuki's gleeful grin quickly turned to horror. Her eyes snapped back to the rapidly approaching car. "Dhuran! Dhuran stop! STOP!!" Her hands waved back and forth but the dog was far too happy to listen. She looked back to the car as it was about to pass her and didn't seem at all to be slowing its speed. Her eyes widened and her screeches went unheard as the whoosh of the car and the high-pitched yelp of a canine hit the air. "DHURAN!!!"

Natsuki bounded forward, the car finally screeched to a halt passed the dog that lay bleeding and whimpering on the cold black pavement. Gently, she brought her hand over the labored rise and fall of the dog's side, stroking it. Almost all the life was knocked not only out of his body, but his big brown eyes as they just gazed forward along the line of asphalt. She didn't even hear Shizuru race to her side opposite Dhuran, her mind raced far too loudly at the sight of the agonizing young pup by her knees.

"Oh Natsuki…" Shizuru murmured, trying to get Natsuki to look at her, but she wouldn't: her eyes would just roam the poor beast's bruised and beaten body. "He'll be okay, Natsuki. He'll…"

"No he _WON'T_ be okay Shizuru! LOOK AT HIM!" Just then she heard Natsuki's voice dangerously tremble, like she was going to break down at any second. Shizuru's eyes were already brimmed with tears about to be shed, and she waited for Natsuki to look up at her with eyes that match her own. In the many wonderful years she'd known Natsuki, she'd never seen her cry. She half wondered if this girl with the strongest heart – the same one that had built a strong, cold, protective wall around itself since middle school - would allow herself to.

The driver – who apparently was a young hotshot businessman, according to the sporty car and immaculate suit – finally came from his car and looked over them at the dog. "Oh, man I… I'm sorry."

Natsuki said nothing, and Shizuru somehow knew she wouldn't. You'd never get forgiveness from Natsuki Kuga if you hurt or took something she loved. "Come, Natsuki, we can take him to a pet hospital, I know one nearby that's open all night." Natsuki wordlessly obliged and the both gently lifted him up.

"Hey, please, I said I was sorry. Is there anything I can do to help?" The business guy pried again, stepping closer as the two moved back to Shizuru's car.

Natsuki opened the back car door with her shoed toe, carefully sliding him in. She brought her hands from underneath him, and stared at her bloodstained fingers. "You've done enough." She growled through gritted teeth as she shut the car door a bit more forcefully than necessary.

The guy just looked around him, chuckling lightly to himself as she raised his hands as if to say, 'you've gotta be kidding me.' "For Christ sake! It's just a dog!"

Shizuru's eyes flashed with fear as she turned towards Natsuki, whose eyes flashed something _**totally**_different from fear. Shizuru watched as Natsuki, with a touch of haste, walked up to him and slammed her fist right into his jaw. Just as Shizuru was running towards her, Natsuki grabbed the man's collar and pulled him toward his car. When the tawny-haired girl watched her best friend slam his head through his left-hand passenger window, making shards of glass fall onto his head and neck and around their feet, she ran and wrapped her hands around the younger girl's waist, pulling her back. She knew how much pain she was in, and she hated him from the depths of her heart for causing this, but if Natsuki continued, she might very well kill him and he wasn't worth such a price: she learned from experience.

Natsuki struggled against her, trying to force herself back to the man who flopped to the ground, clutching his face. "Shizuru! Let me GO!" She protested wildly.

"I can't, Natsuki! Don't do this! Please!" Shizuru spun her in her arms and brought her head to her shoulder. "Let's just go and get Dhuran the medical attention he needs." She whispered into the struggling woman's ear. She felt her trying to push her away, but she held tight and, slowly, returned the tight embrace, her face pressed into Shizuru's neck. The older girl tried to hold her tears back for Natsuki when she felt the wetness gather high on her neck.

A moan came from the car. Shizuru didn't bother to turn and neither did Natsuki. The businessman wobbled to his feet, getting to the front seat, blood running down from his nose and forehead to his suit. "Little bitch! I'll SUE you DRY!!"

"Just get the hell out of here!" Shizuru snapped with disgust, watching his rear lights retreat and disappear with the road. She then led Natsuki to the car and, as gently as she was allowed, drove the car to the only pet hospital in the Kyoto city, which was within the cheaper district.

When they arrived, they carried Dhuran inside the small white-walled hospital building and, it being a severe case, the vets immediately took him in. "You may want to take the night and rest." The older, male vet had said, giving them both a grave look. "We'll call you first thing in the morning. And don't worry; we'll do our very best."

Despite all the encouraging words, Natsuki didn't seem at all impressed. In fact, to Shizuru, she seemed almost hollow. When she stepped close, her eyes looked so frighteningly blank. When Shizuru worriedly called her name, her hands cupping Natsuki's face, the younger girl's only response was "Let's go," and an immediate turn toward the door. Shizuru understood that Natsuki was beyond heartbroken but… the way she was acting – this cool, calm façade – scared her even more so than her violent rush not ten minutes ago.

Never being one to question Natsuki's demands when in this state, Shizuru followed and both drove silently back to her house. The tawny-haired girl hated bringing Natsuki back to the scene – Dhuran's blood still lay in thin puddles on the asphalt, they knew it even in the dark. Broken glass gathered to one side of the road still glimmered in the dim light from other people's homes. However, she knew she had no choice. She felt better bringing Natsuki back to her own home, where she could keep an eye on her and comfort her if she needed it at any time during the night.

Shizuru observed her as Natsuki stepped out of the car and into the house: it frightened her to see how lethargic her stride seemed to be. It seemed as though Natsuki's entire being had fled her body, leaving an empty shell of depression and loss. Shizuru closed the door behind her, her eyes never leaving Natsuki's form which went to turn into the living room she had slept in the other night.

"No," Shizuru gently took Natsuki's arm, pulling the girl back into the hallway. "You're coming up to my room." Knowing the way the younger girl was acting, Shizuru wasn't very surprised when Natsuki didn't speak nor physically refuse. Shizuru slowly guided her up the staircase and led her into her room. Natsuki didn't seem to notice the larger space this bedroom had than the bedroom at her parent's house, nor the several bundles of dried and living bouquets of flowers, nor the thinly-layered purple canopy over the wide bed. The more personalized aspects of the room went by unnoticed to Natsuki's sightless eyes.

Shizuru sat her down on the edge of the bed, gazing at her intently. Natsuki's eyes were still looking tired and dazed as her hands fell onto her lap. "Natsuki," Shizuru called softly, as though worried that Natsuki's self had gone to an entirely different world where she couldn't hear reality. "Natsuki, I'm going to get a towel to help dry you. Okay? I'll return soon." She promised, hastily going to retrieve her best towel from her washroom.

When she returned, she noticed Natsuki's passive expression changed to anguish; her fists had balled to pure white in her lap and the muscles in her jaw tightened. Shizuru quickly came and kneeled before her, setting the towel down next to her. Her crimson eyes gazed over her features worriedly. "Natsuki, it'll be okay. Don't be frightened for Dhuran, I know him and he's a strong puppy, just like you." She let out a light laugh, but it faded when it obviously didn't do much good to help the younger girl. "Everything will be okay."

"It doesn't stop… does it?" Natsuki murmured between gritted teeth, her brows twitching with fury and pain.

Shizuru looked at her, bewildered and unsure if she heard her right. "I'm sorry?"

Natsuki's lip began to quiver as she slowly started to shake her head, her eyes never meeting Shizuru's. Jade eyes began to glisten. "The memories just never…" Her voice grew hoarse as she tried to blink her tears away. "They just never leave me alone for good. Why don't they just…?"

Shizuru took her shoulders, looking deep into Natsuki's pained eyes. "Natsuki, what are you talking about? Please, tell me?" She softly begged, though she already had an idea of what she meant. The younger girl didn't answer, but instead clamped her eyes shut as though trying to mentally eliminate whatever it was that was torturing her. Shizuru leaned closer. "Natsuki…" She whispered.

After a couple seconds, Natsuki grabbed Shizuru by the shoulders and roughly pushed her down to the floor, making her release a dull cry of pain. Before Shizuru could ask what was wrong and why she was acting this way, Natsuki came down upon her, straddling her. What she saw in those green eyes was something she had never seen before – rage, need, loss, pain, desperation.

Shizuru looked up at her, shocked. As she called her name again, Natsuki came down and crushed her lips hard against hers. Her lips impatiently and roughly caressed the girl's underneath her, her tongue wasting no time to capture and taste what she wanted. "Shizuru." Natsuki growled from the back of her throat.

'Natsuki.' Shizuru could only think the girl's name since she gave her no chance to speak it as she was pinned to the floor with strong hands at her wrists. She moaned at her captor's forceful dominance as Natsuki hastily moved her lips down Shizuru's neck. The older girl couldn't help but moan again at how hard her lips suckled and her tongue caressed on the sensitive skin of her neck. "Natsuki, what's…" She tried to speak passed her developing pants. Her body squirmed against the press of Natsuki's own upon her.

Was this what Natsuki wanted to help her forget whatever pain she was suffering? Did Natsuki truly know what she was doing? Shizuru had to wonder as said girl brought her lips down to the swell of her breasts.

"A-ah…" Shizuru panted at the navy-haired girl's ministrations. Releasing Shizuru's wrists, Natsuki lifted herself only to bring both her hands to the hooks on the jean vest. Frantically unhooking the hooks by the bunch, Natsuki parted the vest. She didn't waste any time gazing at the perfect skin before undoing the hooks at the front of the black lace bra and parted the cups. Without even taking the time to admire the pert mounds and cherry-pink nipples, Natsuki brought her mouth to one, her hand helping to hold the mound in place as her tongue flicked and teeth nibbled hard on the nub.

Shizuru's brows furrowed and her eyes clamped shut at the endless waves caused by Natsuki's merciless assault on her. The older girl wasn't sure if this all was supposed to happen, but it was so hard to refuse despite Natsuki's force. She had waited so long for this night, she had dreamt of it so many times and now it felt so good. Gasping, she felt a pool of wetness gather between her legs. "Natsuki…" She moaned as she felt Natsuki suckle hard on her nipple. Her back arched, "Na…Natsuki… Ah…" She bit her lip and moaned deep in her throat to hold back a cry as Natsuki switched to her other nipple.

As the younger girl licked the skin down Shizuru's stomach, she heard Natsuki whimper. Shizuru could tell that that whimper didn't come out of desire, but out of deepening pain. The heat that collected onto Shizuru's cheeks dissipated as she moved her hands to Natsuki's shoulders, keeping her from moving any lower.

"Natsuki, please. You don't know what you're doing. Please stop before you…" Shizuru hesitated, not wanting to continue as she hated the words. With a pained look, she forced herself, "Before you do something you'll regret. I know you desire pleasure to forget pain, but you mustn't continue to allow yourself to fall to that level."

Natsuki finally listened, her head falling on one side on Shizuru's stomach. The tawny-haired girl could feel her friend's body shaking and tears gathering onto her skin. "Shizuru." She cried, her arms tightly enfolding around the older woman's stomach, holding her. "It hurts so much." Her breathing grew heavy as the tears came harder. "I keep seeing it, over and over again."

Shizuru brought Natsuki up to lay her head on her shoulder. She combed her hair softly through her navy hair, soothing her. "Go on. Please tell me. What did you see?" Shizuru murmured, bringing her face close to Natsuki's, pressing her lips into her hair.

Natsuki sniffled. "Everything. I saw everything. Just seeing Dhuran like that made all of the memories of my mother and my Dhuran come back. All the pain. It hurt so much. It all came flooding back to me in a single moment. The day my Dhuran and my mother died; the day I found out about what she was willing to do to me just for money… All those years when I cared for no one, not even myself. I just wanted so badly to forget. When those vets took him away, my goddamned mind just wouldn't stop thinking and imagining things I never wanted to see again!

"And when I watched those brown eyes stare into nothing as he laid there on the street, I just…" Natsuki bit her lip hard, trying to make herself feel physical pain over all the emotional. It didn't help at all. She clamped her eyes tightly shut. "I thought I dealt with them. I thought I was over it and that I didn't care anymore!" Natsuki violently slammed her fist into the floor, only to send another wave of pain in her heart and make her hysterical crying worsen.

Shizuru softly shushed her, kissing her forehead and brushing back strands of blue hair away from her friends face, stroking her cheek as she went. This seemed to calm the younger girl down some. "Natsuki, you must remember, none of those events were done by any fault of yours." Shizuru whispered warmly, still stroking her tear-stained cheeks. "I'd never want you to hurt, Natsuki, and neither would they. It's all in the past, so let's not dwell on that and instead think about the future, where I'll try my very best to make Natsuki happy." Shizuru softly kissed her cheek, just below her eye.

Natsuki, despite the gradual slow of her tears, smiled and tightened her embrace on her best friend. "Thanks. It's just that if something happens to Dhuran, I…"

"Nothing will happen to him," Shizuru promised, "As I said, he's a tough puppy." She smiled, earning another shaky smile back. "Now, come, let's get to bed. It's after midnight." With a nod from the younger girl, Shizuru slowly sat up, helping Natsuki as she did. Her heart sunk when she finally saw the younger girl's puffy red eyes and wet, pallid face. Natsuki reddened as she actually _saw_ the older girl's naked torso. Shizuru looked down and giggled as if to say, 'yeah, look what you've done, you wild girl, you.' Smugly closing her vest over herself, she went to her dresser and pulled out pajamas for the both of them. Natsuki stood up and stood over by the foot of the bed as Shizuru went to turn off the light, causing the light of the moon to spill into the room from the three bedroom windows.

"Can… can I…?" Natsuki struggled shyly. "Can I stay here with you tonight?"

Shizuru smiled. "Certainly." Handing Natsuki her pajamas, she went around and undressed, glancing over to see if Natsuki was watching. She was. At least only until she went to take her jeans and panties off, then she turned away. Shizuru crawled under the covers, waiting for Natsuki to finish changing (being a good girl in the meantime by not looking, even though it was torture). When Natsuki slipped in, she allowed herself to be embraced by the tawny-haired girl. "I didn't want you to feel alone tonight." She whispered. "You don't know how long I've wanted to take you in my arms like this, to hold you as you sleep." Natsuki looked at her and she saw no sign of smugness. She could hear it coming straight from her heart.

Natsuki smiled. Shizuru's heart skipped a beat. There's that genuine smile she'd always wanted to see. She felt so happy, so complete then.

Natsuki then laughed, making Shizuru look at her curiously. "You surprised me quite a few times today." She stated, earning a giggle from the girl next to her. "I mean, I saw sides of you I never thought I'd see. I had no idea you were a clubbing kinda girl, and where the hell did you learn to dance like that?" Natsuki asked her with only half-seriousness.

"Oh, here and there." Shizuru teased (it comes with inborn lesbianism - Natsuki should've caught on by then).

"And I'd never thought I'd hear you curse, ever. I mean, when you said the word 'hell' back there, I woulda been floored if… if the situation was different." Natsuki tried to finish without letting herself be overtaken by the memory of how Dhuran looked laying on the asphalt.

Shizuru laughed in her throat. "Well, Natsuki should know, I can be a very nasty girl when it comes to someone who even thinks of hurting Natsuki in any way."

Natsuki grew silent, her smile fond yet simple. As though asking 'what are you thinking?' Shizuru regarded her curiously again. Natsuki slowly leaned closer and, - with a brief, hesitant pause - pressed her lips tenderly against Shizuru's. The older girl, though admittedly taken by surprise since this was the first time since the Festival that she would be the one to be kissed this time, slowly returned the kiss. She felt Natsuki encircle her arms around her, making her smile into the kiss.

When they broke apart, Natsuki's eyes seemed twinkle. She'd never seen Natsuki gaze at her so deeply and in such a way that made her feel innocent, lovely and pure. The younger girl leaned in and kissed her again. "I love you."

Right then, just by those three words, the woman being kissed by the object of her heart's affection felt that very same heart hurt but in the best possible way. Overcome by the throbbing of her swollen heart, Shizuru moaned into the kiss, drawing Natsuki closer. The taste of her lips felt so much sweeter than before, it seemed. She wasn't sure she'd be able to stop if it hadn't been for her need release a bit of the swell in her heart.

During a brief moment where their lips had parted, Shizuru whispered breathily, "I love you," and pressed her lips back against Natsuki's, which curved up in a smile.

Noticing Shizuru's steady advances and increasing demand in her lips' caresses against her own, Natsuki sheepishly spoke, "I'd love to try and correct all that I'd done wrong with you those few minutes ago, but," she gave an exhausted sigh, "I'm so tired; Both you and Dhuran wore me out."

Shizuru laughed. "Of course. Next time, Natsuki may need all the energy she can get." She whispered, luring her with a sensuous kiss along her neck. The breathy moan made her grin, and laid her head on Natsuki's shoulder.

'This woman will always be a bit more than I can handle.' Natsuki thought, trying to calm her breathing. 'I knew I loved challenges.' She smirked, and closed her heavy eyes.

_**1:47 AM – Fujino Estate**_

Girochi hastily strode down the second-floor hallway, his sport coat and tie absent and instead an audio tape and video tape clutched in his hand. He cared not to turn on the hallway lights as he only needed the dim glow of the night flooding through the windows to see his path to his sister-in-law's door. Besides, the effort alone felt as though it took away time that he now very much valued. With growing excitement, his anxious hands grasped the knob of the door and turned.

"I've got it!" He hollered into the darkness as he stepped in, turning her light switch while not caring that he had startled his relative to awaken from her slumber.

"Girochi?" Setsuka fumbled with her sheets as she hastily rose. She glanced at her alarm clock. "It's hardly daybreak! For what reason do you disturb me at this hour of the night?" Her vision beginning to clear upon him, he looked as though he had gone mad with glee; his expression was like that of a fox which now deeply worshipped his clever mind. He also looked as though he hadn't slept in hours; his chocolate-black hair was frazzled and his shirt collar and cuffs were undone.

"A great reason, my dear Setsuka! A great reason!" He gave an eager laugh. "Hurry! Where's your tape player?" His fierce black eyes search impatiently around the spotless room.

Setsuka leaned to the nightstand next to her and produced a rather outdated tape player from a small drawer. "It's right here. Why do you need it?" She strode up to him.

Girochi thanklessly snatched it from her. "Oh, because I've been given invaluable evidence concerning your daughter and her friend." After what looked like great effort, her brother-in-law managed to slip the tape in and pressed play. Setsuka listened with only mild curiosity.

At the start, there was a loud and consistent thundering sound. It slowly began to die and distant voices could be heard, one of which she instantly knew was her daughter's. _"LESBIAN!!" _It suddenly rang, causing Setsuka to jump and place her hand on her chest. The thundering sound slowly lessened to nothing. _"I don't want everyone to know that I find girls attractive!! So quit acting stupid because I know that YOU'RE even GAYER than I AM!!"_ Mutterings and indecipherable words played as the tape continued before she caught her daughter's voice again. _"Well, I'm glad you were finally able to say that, Natsuki."_ The slam of a car door and a loud, rough hum followed. Girochi stopped the tape and looked at her with an expectant grin.

"This Natsuki girl admits that she prefers the company women over men! Thanks to this" - he indicated the player with his thick finger – "we can now be certain that this girl is the cause of Shizuru's unnatural ways and she **must** be dealt with!"

Setsuka stared at the recorder, still rather stunned after hearing the utter reality of the situation. "How did you come to obtain this information?"

Girochi produced small black box with a lifeless red light from his pocket and proudly presented it to her. "I bugged Shizuru's car and attached it just below Natsuki's door."

She regarded him with distaste. "Girochi, she is our own flesh and blood! No matter what the accusation, be it truth or false, invading privacy in such a devious way is…"

"She is **your** flesh and blood, dear Setsuka! Not mine!" Girochi's voice rose, interrupting her. "If it weren't for me, we would never have known how severe this situation is! That is why I also come with video footage I've managed to gather in case you didn't believe this is truthful enough! Would you rather see your own daughter being sexually seduced by her "dearest friend" on the floor of her own bedroom?" He brought his flaming gaze close to hers, murmuring roughly. "And, from what I've seen, it didn't seem as though our sweet Shizuru had any plans in stopping her." He raised the video tape to her eye level. "Would you?"

As though slightly sickened, Setsuka refused with a slow shake of her head. She didn't want to know how her brother-in-law managed to record whatever scene he saw in her daughter's bedroom; the thought of that alone was enough to bear for her mind. She gazed down at her hands. "Setting that aside for now, the audio tape alone displays the obvious evidence." When Girochi was about to eagerly relay his plans, she interrupted him, "However, I noticed that in the recording, Natsuki claimed that Shizuru was… even 'gayer' than she was. And considering Shizuru's response, doesn't this reveal that my daughter discovered her…" She paused as though preparing herself for continuation. "_Homosexuality_… long before Natsuki did? If this is true, then Natsuki must not be the cause but it seems to simply come down to…" Her voice went soft as the image of her daughter at all ages till present came to her mind. "Shizuru's feelings," Setsuka's dark red eyes gazed into the distance of memories.

"What does it matter!" Girochi nearly bellowed out of growing frustration. "We cannot have the next COD of Fujino Industries have a woman as a lover! It would be an embarrassment and dishonor unto the Fujino family! And _I_, my sister-in-law, am not one to tolerate embarrassment!" He turned away, his jaw tightening as he strode towards the door. "If you cannot find the strength to protect the sanctity of our very name, then I suggest you consider where your loyalties lie. When you married into this family, that thought should have been first on your list."

With that, he left. Setsuka sat herself on the edge of her bed, eyes ridden with worry and confusion. She raised a hand to rest on the side of her face. She wanted what's best for her daughter, but she wanted her to be happy as well. When she heard a feeble knock at the door, she calmed when she saw it was her maid wrapped in a dark grey throw blanket.

"Is everything alright, Mrs. Fujino?" The maid asked concernedly. "I heard shouting."

"Oh, yes Michuru. That was Girochi. He's just in one of his moods." She covered, not feeling like explaining the whole issue. She let her gaze stay on the younger maid for a moment. She slowly stood and walked closer to the doorway. "Tell me, what do you think of Ms. Kuga?" She asked experimentally.

"Oh, well, to be honest, I didn't like the looks of her one bit when I first saw her in that doorway: She just didn't seem like the _kind_ Miss Shizuru should exchange pleasantries with. However, I cannot bring myself to deny that ever since that woman came, Shizuru's demeanor has greatly changed in comparison to earlier in the year."

Her employer regarded her with a curious eye. "How so?"

The maid paused, unsure as to how she should start. "Well, she…" – Her eyes then gazed unwaveringly into the eyes of her superior – "She hums when she walks through the halls now; She never seemed to think I could hear her when she passed, but I did. And you can tell that something has been making her smile all day as the corners of her mouth are always curving upward. There are times when I don't even think she notices it, when she smiles for almost no reason but perhaps a fresh memory. There are just some things that have seemed to make a brilliant glow around her. If I may say so, madam, she reminds me of a schoolgirl giddy from a crush."

Setsuka gazed at her, and the end result of the equation couldn't have been simpler: her daughter is in love. "Thank you for telling me this." A distant memory between herself and her late husband flashed before her mind. She had an idea of what she could do. She turned back into the room.

Knowing that her superior was about to dismiss her, she quickly spoke up. "Since you've allowed me to be honest concerning your daughter, I'd also like to say that I fear for her."

Wine-red eyes looked back with uncertainty. "What do you mean?"

Hesitantly, the maid brought forth a manila folder from beneath her blanket. "I found this in Mr. Fujino's office, hidden beneath papers. Normally I would have left it alone like I always do for the both of you, but, this one has Miss. Shizuru's name as well as the words "First District" on it. I became suspicious because I wondered why would Miss. Shizuru have anything to do with what is now a heap of debris-ridden hills. Do you have any idea, Mrs. Fujino?"

Setsuka gently took the file folder from her and peered inside. Brows knit together, she skimmed through each document. When she came across the photos, her hand went to her lips as she saw pictures of her own daughter from security cameras. It felt like the person she saw in the picture looked nothing like her daughter but she knew in her gut that it was. It was her Shizuru, her little girl, walking away from the hellfire engulfing First District, a Naginata braced over her shoulder, her favorite kimono ripped half to shreds and blood staining her hands, face and legs. What was this about? What had caused her to…? Then she saw a list of girls with pictures and brief summaries of each. One of which was Natsuki herself. She stopped. If Girochi had information like this and he had absolutely no tolerance for how much Shizuru cared about this girl…

"Michuru, I need to get to my daughter's house as soon as possible and I need you to read this information to me on the way there." Knowing how determined Girochi was when he had left, she knew he wasn't going to waste time in eliminating the problem. She only hoped that she wouldn't be too late.

Xxxxx

Natsuki awoke as she heard the front door slam and hard, merciless footsteps follow along the first floor, stopping at random intervals. This intruder was searching for something specific. Brows knitted, she gently shook Shizuru by the shoulders. "Shizuru,"

"I know." Shizuru whispered back, her eyes already opened while her body remained unmoved. He's finally come…

The footsteps became louder and louder until, within seconds, the door was unpityingly flown open, smashing into the wall. Girochi watched with a heartless smirk as his niece and girlfriend dashed out from beneath the covers.

"I've grown tired of your recent behavior, Shizuru. Tired and disgusted." He murmured, his gaze piercing through the darkness. "And you," He turned his head to Natsuki, who looked back at him with her intrepid jade eyes. "You've tested my patience for the last time; you destroyed everything that must be, everything that is pure and natural for my niece to live happily with her to-be husband."

Natsuki sneered. "She'll never be happy with someone you force her to marry. Let her decide who she wants. It's because of you that she's been miserable with all those men you set her up with."

"What business is it of yours?" He nearly boomed, his face contorting with fury. He was about to continue when Natsuki's voice rose over his.

"As her next suitor, I'd say it's plenty of my business!" There was silence: Natsuki's face had contorted with resentment the way Girochi's had, though his expression had faded to angered shock. Shizuru gazed at the girl next to her in a way that looked as though she was wondering if she had heard her right. Did Natsuki mean to say…? "And, if I may say so," Natsuki carried on, "it looks like Shizuru doesn't have that much of an interest in Reito, so I guess that now makes me her new suitor." Natsuki smirked confidently. "And I know she wants that. I care for her and I love her, unlike you."

It was Girochi's turn to sneer nastily at her. "You little…" With a grunt, he backhanded Natsuki across the face with such force it threw her to the ground. She heard Shizuru shout her name. "You little bitch!" Just as he was about to get onto his knees and land a few more blows on her, Shizuru grabbed his broad shoulders and pulled him back. With the heel of her palm, she slammed into his nose, making him howl in pain as blood began to spurt from it. He growled as he pushed her from him, reached into the sport coat he slipped on before he arrived and pulled out a silver-barreled handgun. Shizuru gasped and remained still as she watched him point the gun at her heart. "I have evidence, Shizuru! I have records of you at First District! If you don't cooperate and marry Kanzaki-san, I'll have no problems with releasing them to the press! You'll be put in jail for life and I'll make sure you stay there!" His eyes burned with hate in every word.

Shocked, Shizuru tried to make words. "How? How did you get them? I… I thought I destroyed all records of not only myself but of Natsuki and the other HiME as well."

Girochi couldn't help but smile a smile full of pride. "I have many connections with both ex-agents of First District and of the more hidden branches of the Searrs Foundation. For a good sum of money, they discovered and delivered to me a file or two from the wreckage." Though his smile remained, his eyes narrowed." I guess your job to destroy wasn't as thorough as your job to kill."

His words echoed in her head, and each time it hurt more than the last. Her troubled eyes darted back and forth from memories of blood and smoke. Her eyes clinched shut as her hands went to her pained expression:

888888Flashback88888

"P-please! Have m-mercy! I don't want to die!"

The blade hung high over his neck. Its razor sharp edge pulsated with its wielder's burning hatred and piercing sorrow. The bleeding and bruised security officer gazed up at the figure looming over him, the features shadowed to obscurity by the monstrous masses of flames slowly engulfing the floors of the main building.

Beneath the shadows, she smiled her malicious smile of satisfaction. "Beg for forgiveness, and I might reconsider."

Though he had no idea what or why he should plead for forgiveness, he groveled and squirmed pitifully beneath his captor's heel. A flicker of light wrapped around the skin of the captor's face: the officer swore he saw a fang peeking out from beneath the pleased lips.

"Very good." With a flick of the wrist, the blade curved and dug deep into the man's neck, making him release a gargled scream. "But never good enough." When the officer's body fell limp onto the concrete floor, the bloody blade was pulled from the neck, and she continued to her objective down the hall. Her smile didn't widen nor fade as she heard the echoes of screams, collapsing walls and beams, and valiant roars and hisses of her trusted Kyohime from the distance.

She took her time as she came to the end of the corridor. One of the many places that needed to be dealt with stood right before her: The database room. She eyed the letters that read the name of the room for a few seconds before flicking and twisting her arm twice. The plaster that held the doorframe slid before crumbling to the floor inside the room, clouds of dust erupting from the plaster debris.

Casually, she strode in. Her eyes narrowed at the line of computers and file cabinets. 'They cannot chase what they do not know.' She thought to herself as she took a step closer towards the blinking monitors.

"Stop where you are!"

She stopped and slowly turned towards the officer hidden in the far corner of her room. The barrel of his pistol aimed directly at her head. He smirked. "This is the end of the line for you!" He continued, a grin playing on his face as he edged closer.

'It seems this one carries a more-than-fair amount of ego.' She smirked. 'This'll be quite fun.' She closed her hollow eyes and loosened the grip on her glaive, raising her hands as though to admit defeat. She heard him laugh as he stepped closer, his gun still raised. "You know, it's funny." She commented casually. "I'd have expected something a little more from District One's Finest," She paused. "Something a little more impressive, such as…" – she opened her eyes – "a greater intellect." Her hand grabbed the butt of her polearm and swung the blade, willing the vine to extent and wrap around his waist. Even as he gasped in surprise, he was flung to the side; straight into the rows of computers.

She watched as electricity, glass and metal engulfed and tortured his twitching body before it too went limp and lifeless along with the computers. A smirk further painted on her face. "Kyohime, finish this." As if on queue, the metallic hydra crashed through the side wall, crushing and tearing everything within, leaving only enough room for her mistress to watch with pleasure. "That's good, Kyohime. Leave nothing in your wake."

"That's enough!"

With an inward sigh, she turned to find yet another security guard. This one was much younger and much more afraid; she could see it in his eyes and in his hands, which trembled as he held his pistol towards her. "Haven't you done enough? You've eliminated everyone and everything! Why are you doing this?" He begged. "Nothing is worth this!"

He looked at her bewilderedly when he noticed that her eyes flashed darkly. With swift and unconsciousable speed, she turned the butt of her naginata so that it smashed against his wrist. He cried out in pain while his gun flew a few feet behind him. Holding his throbbing wrists, he looked up at her: she was motionless, as though waiting for him to do something. Trying to be quick, he turned to try and retrieve his gun.

Rule number one in the world of warfare: Never turn your back on your enemy.

The vine of the blade extended and wrapped around the young guard's neck. She harshly pulled him in her direction, making him fly through the air. With her weapon still latched onto his neck, she watched as he crashed through one of the window's left unbroken. With much concentration, she willed her blade to remain taut as she held him up through the window, the earth now four stories below his dangling feet.

"You wouldn't understand… You'd **never** understand!" She nearly screamed through the window, her heart threatening to explode with the longing and pain she felt. She pushed the urge to scream at the skies down again: she had to finish what she started. The terribly aggrieved expression fled from her features and was replaced with her hollowed and satisfied one. "I know that the elders are surely trying to flee, where are they?"

The guard struggled to find breath as he held onto the taut vine with his hands. As his silence grew, so did her impatience: she willed the blade to coil tighter around his neck. He choked and gagged. "I-In the Defense Hold!" He rasped.

"Thank you very much. I greatly appreciate it." With a smile, she gave one forceful tug, not at all unnerved by the ungodly Snap! that came from his neck. She jiggled the shaft of her weapon, making it unravel from the body and thoughtlessly let it fall, hearing the echo of the bones cracking once it hit earth.

"Kyohime." It floated from her lips. She felt the tears surface again. Kyohime hovered one of her heads just below the broken window. She crawled through and stepped onto her forehead, petting it with her palm. "Come, let's go pay the elders a visit." With a hiss, the hydra carried her over toward the heavily guarded building. She felt the blood of many others dripping down her skin, making her torn and battered kimono cling to her. However, she held no sympathy. None.

She was empty inside. She felt nothing but a supernova of emotions that hurt her more than how she hurt those guards. She felt as though her heart was being compressed into nothing. Without Natsuki's acceptance of her love, it will never beat freely, for her heart had always belonged to the beautiful rebel of Fuka. And she would kill more, if necessary; she would do anything, slaughter anyone, who dared hurt Natsuki and kept the 'Ice Princess' from belonging to her.

888888EndFlashback888888

Something deep inside her racked her bones. It somewhat terrified her now that she felt only the mere essence of what she felt back when her desire had grown to such gargantuan, uncontrollable proportions. Similar to how blood seeps and eventually engulfs a strip of finest silk, the anger and desire rose within her. Tears began to form in her eyes and slip down her cheeks beneath her hands; it hurt so much, remembering how she had abused the trust of her best friend and first and only love. What had she done?

"Don't listen to him!" Natsuki shouted, standing behind him. "Shizuru! Please don't listen! I still love…"

"Silence you…!" Seeing that Girochi was bringing his gun around with him, she dodged behind his arm and rolled forward as he fired the gun. Shizuru gasped as the bullet shot into a pillowed chair next to a desk similar to the one in Shizuru's other bedroom at Fujino Estate. Not at all startled, Natsuki stood herself close to Shizuru's right.

"Aren't you afraid that if you release that information to the press, not only will she be attacked by the people but you will too! She's your niece!" Natsuki yelled back at him.

Girochi immediately smirked. "Yes, but she isn't MY daughter! It doesn't matter what happens to me; I can pay my way out of the papers, unlike you two." He turned to Shizuru, whose gaze suddenly now turned fiercely unto his. "Now, dear Shizuru, tell me where you'd rather be: loved and honored by the rest of the family by marrying Kanzaki-san, or disowned and left to rot with this girl in a city gutter."

Shizuru hated his confident smirk, as though he felt he would always hold power over everyone who dared cross him. She did enjoy the look she received when she smiled back, the confused glare that came from him. She found it amusing as well since it was the same look she held now that she held while Student Council President all those years ago.

"I don't care where you throw me, Girochi. I feel more warmth when I'm with Natsuki than with anyone else. Throw me in jail or by that gutter, I know I'll be more comfortable there than in the same room with you." Her eyes twinkled with her smile as she watched Girochi frown and knit his bushy eyebrows. "Since that night at First District, I vowed to Natsuki and myself that I'll never pretend to be someone else for anyone's sake and I don't ever intend to break it. That's why I needed her here; I needed her strength to help stop me from making a terrible mistake."

Natsuki, touched by what the girl next to her had said about her, nearly missed a dead giveaway coming from Girochi's hand that held the gun. His fist was taut though his fingers trembled with anger around the grip. His eyes burned with hatred and his breath grew short and sharp. Natsuki's eyes widened as she knew that look and feeling very well. She threw herself to the left.

Girochi shouted something as he brought up his gun at Shizuru and fired with a loud 'BANG!' Shizuru's crimson eyes widened in horror as she watched blue and red mingle together in front of her. She heard Natsuki cry out as the force of the bullet pushed the younger girl on top of her, both falling to the floor.

"NATSUKI!" Shizuru cried, trying to turn the younger girl over so she could look at her face. The forest green eyes were closed. When her hand went to her breastbone, she felt warm wetness gather. She brought up her hand to find it was staining red. She looked back down and saw that she was shot just below her left collarbone, but not so far that it was over the heart. Nevertheless, tears began to stream down her face as she kept calling Natsuki's name, gathering the younger girl's head to rest onto her lap.

Shizuru heard Girochi give a deep "Humph! It's just as good, I've wanted to do that ever since I saw you two out in the field those nights ago. She's finally out of the way."

Shizuru's glazed eyes drifted up to the man standing over them, her eyes began to hollow. She didn't care how much he had seen when he say her and Natsuki together, nor did she care how he felt about the way he felt towards Natsuki. Now, she wanted… so badly… to take his gun… and…

BANG!!

Shizuru's eyes widened as she watched her uncle fall to her feet, unconscious. Her eyes then shot up to where he had once stood. "Mother?" The frazzled Setsuka stood there, the small iron shovel from the fireplace in her hand, now misshapen from the impact at the back of his head.

The darker set of red eyes looked down at her daughter's. "Oh, Shizu… Ms. Kuga!" Her mother gasped as she moved over to Natsuki's side. The blood was already beginning to soak the carpet. After a quick inspection, she reached into the pocket of her light green silk robe and flipped open her cell phone. "Michuru, I… yes, Shizuru's fine but Ms. Kuga's been shot!... I-I'll explain later, just, please, use the car phone and call the police… Thank you…" She flipped her phone of and gazed at her daughter. "Are you alright?" She asked first, needing to know how her daughter was fairing before asking anything else. "Are you hurt?"

Shizuru shook her head. "No, I'm alright." Setsuka watched as Shizuru's fingers stroke Natsuki's cheek. During the brief inspection, she noticed that she was still breathing, although raggedly. "She took a bullet for me," She said softly. When Setsuka looked up, she couldn't see into her daughter's eyes, as her wavy tawny bangs cast a shadow over them. She did notice, however, the sparkle the moon sent unto the runnels of water down her cheek, dripping off of her chin and splashing onto Natsuki's face.

The first and only time she had ever seen her daughter shed tears was during her father's funeral. When she learned the information concerning the HiMEs, their Child and Element, she wasn't so sure about the integrity of love between her daughter and this girl until she saw it, right there, for herself. She was about to speak, but Shizuru beat her to it.

"Too little, I have to sacrifice for her; too much, I would do for her. Don't hate her. She means the world and more to me. I needed her to help me get through this _contract_ you and uncle had forced me to sign."

Setsuka was surprised at the biting tone Shizuru took when she said the word 'contract', though then again, she guessed she understood how her daughter felt about the whole arrangement. She brought her hand to her daughter's hair, stroking it. "Don't worry about that anymore, honey." Her eyes went to the still-unconscious Girochi. "And don't worry about him either, I'll make sure he's cared for and in a way he'll never touch you again. I promise." After giving her brother-in-law a scornful look, she leaned in and kissed her hair.

Shizuru continued to stroke her cheek. Her arm stayed protectively wrapped around her chest until the ambulance came and pried Natsuki from it.

Xxxxxxxx _**9:58 – Kyoto Hospital**_

Shizuru sat by Natsuki's raised bed of her single hospital room. She was dressed though not very refreshed as she hadn't been able to sleep like her mother had told her to when they returned from the hospital earlier that morning. She couldn't help noticing how pale Natsuki was; she had lost so much blood. She had only just noticed the bruise growing on her right cheek, where Girochi struck her. Every time her gaze reattached to the purplish-blue mark, she had a driven need to march right back up to her uncle and strike him hard across the face.

Her chest was bandaged up, the single spot of blood stained through the gauze. The nurses had only recently removed the oxygen mask from her face so as to help her breathe through the night. Her mind kept with the beat of her heart monitor, her own breath relying on the repeat of each 'beep'.

She looked so cold there, Shizuru also thought, despite the fact that the single window in the room wasn't opened and that the covers were brought up to her underarms. Her lips looked almost gray. Her lips… Shizuru stood up from her wooden-armed chair and leaned over Natsuki, on arm holding her side, the other resting beside her face, her fingers idly feeling the splayed blue strands. As she came down, she felt herself pink. Perhaps, no matter deep their relationship was, she may always blush when she kisses the beauty during her slumber. Her eyes closed an inch before their lips touched, releasing a light breath.

When they met, Shizuru bought her hand at her side up to gently touch her face, being careful to not hurt her. She sighed as her warm lips gently caressed the cooler, motionless ones. Innocently relishing the moment, to be able to feel her lips since that horrible moment, she stayed there for several seconds before releasing the soft suction she had on the smaller (though no less supple) pair. With a sigh, turned to go the short distance back to her chair when a raspy voice came behind her:

"Is that a pastime of yours or something?"

Shizuru turned back to the girl in the bed, holding herself back from going and immediately wrapping her arms around the younger girl and holding her tight. "I beg your pardon?"

Natsuki's left eye appeared to be more open than the other. Perhaps the swelling of the bruise had kept the right from opening the way the left was allowed to. Shizuru almost melted at the sight of Natsuki's small, lopsided smile. "You kissing me in my sleep, do you have a record of how many times you've done that hidden somewhere?" She joked. Shizuru was surprised at how well a mood Natsuki seemed to be in despite all that had happened the night before as well as all the pain she must be experiencing.

Shizuru grabbed the chair and dragged it closer to Natsuki's bed. She took the pale hand in hers, pressing it against her cheek as she giggled. "It is one of my favorite hobbies, yes." She smiled and kissed the back of her palm before moving on to her fingers. "How are you feeling?"

Natsuki grimaced as she shifted more comfortably in her bed. The older girl noticed how her left arm remained limp, lying at her side. "Ugh, don't ask. It feels like I got hit by a truck." She returned the squeeze Shizuru gave her hand with the little strength she was given. "Where's that bastard anyway?" Shizuru couldn't tell if her hoarse voice was what made her question sound like a growl.

"The police apprehended him when the ambulance came to retrieve you. He's being jailed for attempted murder and harassment. My mother made sure that all the information concerning us was kept under tight wraps." She kissed her hand again. "We're safe."

Natsuki's head fell back onto her pillow as though a great weight had been released from her chest. Her eyes closed and she let out a sigh. "Good." Was all she said, though Shizuru knew that Natsuki was never really one for lengthy details; just simple answers. 'I guess that means her mom knows about us then.' She kind of feared the next time she'd see the woman. After Girochi, she wasn't afraid of anything or what anyone thought. It was simply the thought and question of how her mother would look at her next: would it be with love and acceptance or uncertainty of the whole idea of the two of them being together as girlfriends or otherwise. "Did he hurt you when I…" Natsuki paused, as though simply saying the words "fell unconscious" was a huge sign of weakness.

Shizuru smiled onto the other girl, appreciating her concern. "No. It was only seconds after that my mother crept behind him and struck him over the head." Her expression turned solemn, her thumb continuing to caress her palm. "That was a brave thing, you did."

"That wasn't the first time I've been shot at, remember the First District goons? Besides, there was no way I was going to lose you when I just got you." Natsuki gazed back at her with the same earnest look.

'You've always had me.' Instead of speaking, Shizuru stood, tears brimming her eyes, placed a hand on Natsuki's side and, with her other arm braced by the younger girl's head, stared into the emerald eyes upon her own, leaned over her and…

"_Hem-hem_…" Came from the doorway. Shizuru pulled away, startled, and snapped her eyes to her mother's. "Good morning, Shizuru." The woman stood there, dressed in her normal business attire, arms folded over her chest and her eyes seeming contented upon her and Natsuki behind her. "Would you mind so dearly if I had a little chat with Ms. Kuga? There's simply something I'd like to discuss with her." She inquired with no hint of fictitiousness in her mother's rather comfortable tone.

Taken by surprise, it took a few seconds for Shizuru to answer with slight uncertainty. Why would she need to speak with Natsuki? Noticing the expectant quirk of her mother's brow, she tipped her head forward with respect. "Of course, I'll just wait outside."

'Oh god,' Natsuki thought, her eyes widening with growing nervousness. The emerald eyes followed Shizuru's retreating body, catching the brief look she gave her as she disappeared behind the door. Her eyes then snapped to Setsuka, who gave a smile as she seated herself in the chair that Shizuru had taken.

"I hope you are feeling well, I was worried for you when I found you. I'm very sorry for my brother-in-law's actions; being the last son of the Fujino blood line thus far, he values the honor of the Fujino name."

"Yeah, I had guessed that when I first met him." Natsuki answered, trying to carry on the conversation although she deeply wished that Setsuka would just get to the point and skip the drawn out conversation and pleasantries.

Setsuka then gazed at her thoughtfully, making Natsuki all the more nervous. "At first, I wasn't sure what to make of your relationship with my daughter, especially when I read all the information concerning the both of you, about the HiME's." Another brief 'Oh god,' crossed Natsuki's mind. "Can you summon your Child and Element?" She asked.

It took a few minutes for her to answer, wondering where the older woman was going with this. "No. Neither can Shizuru or any of the others. I wish I could summon my element though," Natsuki mentioned offhandedly, "'cause then I wouldn't have this wound. I woulda been able to stop him before he tried to shoot either of us."

Setsuka nodded. "Yes, I am deeply indebted to you for throwing yourself in front of harms way for my daughter. It is only because of that that I know you feelings for her are unambiguous and true." There was another pause. This time, Natsuki was curious as to what Mrs. Fujino was willing to say. Setsuka's burgundy eyes drifted thoughtfully to the window. "My husband, Shizuru's father, died not too long ago. Did she tell you that?" At Natsuki's nod, she continued, her eyes cast to the foot of Natsuki's bed, seeing only memories:

"He dearly hoped that whoever Shizuru fell in love with and wished to marry, he would never be like himself. You see, my husband had many lovers; many mistresses during our marriage. He still loved me; that I knew, as he always promised so every time I'd discover evidence of him having relations with another woman. He always apologized profusely." After another short moment of silence, Setsuka chuckled despite herself, "He had said that perhaps Shizuru would be better off with a woman if many men in the world had his habits. I had thought he meant to say this jokingly until now. I never really took to mind the idea of my own daughter falling for a woman."

Not knowing what to say besides a nervous, "Yeah, well…", Natsuki just sat there, her eyes darting from one object to the next. The thing that really stuck in her mind was the information she'd just received about her father having all these lovers behind her mother's back. "Does she know? About her father, I mean." The question came before she could stop it.

Mrs. Fujino shook her head. "No, not that I'm aware of anyway. She adored him, so I'd prefer she not know." Knowing what Setsuka's expectant look meant – "please don't tell her" – she nodded her wordless promise. Natsuki's hand stiffened for a moment when Mrs. Fujino's hand lightly grasped hers. "Thank you for caring so much for my Shizuru. Treat her well. I know that, if Shizuru's father were still alive, he would love you like he was your own. He never cared who Shizuru fell in love with as long as he or she would never make the mistakes he did and love her just as much. Girochi never understood that about his brother, pity."

She released Natsuki's hand and stood. "I wish you well and hope your strength and health return soon. Again, I deeply apologize for my brother-in-law's actions." She came close to the door, turning to give Natsuki a warm smile. Natsuki tried her best to smile back without making it look lopsided again. "I hope to see you soon in the future, Ms. Kuga, where I will offer you better hospitality than in the past week. I give my best to both you and my daughter. Good day."

Setsuka left, disappearing the same way Shizuru had. Natsuki let out a relieved sigh before she heard mutterings behind the door: "Contact me when she is released from the hospital and let me know of her healing progress." Another voice followed. "I will, mother. Thank you, for everything." There was a brief silence; perhaps they were hugging or something. Footsteps followed, slowly drifting to nothing.

The door opened again, this time it was Shizuru adorning a smile. "So what were you conversing about?"

"Oh, um, she just told me a bit about your dad and how 'indebted' she was to me for taking the bullet. I think I got her blessing too." Natsuki said carefully, knowing that her eyes weren't helping her as they traitorously glancing around.

Shizuru sat next to her on her bed, still smiling. "Did she tell you of all the women he had slept with during his life?"

Emerald orbs snapped to Shizuru's, surprised and unsure. The lack of pain or betrayal left her somewhat bewildered as it looked as though Shizuru thought no less of him and he was still her hero despite. "Y…yeah… She did." Natsuki said uncertainly, eyeing her suspiciously.

Shizuru apparently amused at either the memories or the surreptitiousness of her own mother. "Yes, I had met almost all of them as well. I would spend some time with both my father and his mistress only a few times during the week. Some of them adored me…" – her eyes cast downward, as though trying to remove the memories of the less amiable mistresses – "some of them didn't. However, if my father ever noticed any of his mistresses mistreating me, he would immediately remove her from the second home he kept for them."

Natsuki was silent for a moment. "Psh," suddenly came with a weak wave of her hand. "I woulda kicked ass and taken names than just booting them out." She shifted somewhat roughly in her bed. "I'm happy he was so good to you and loved you so much, but I woulda made them kneel down and apologize to you personally."

Shizuru giggled as she moved her hand gently along Natsuki's side. "Always so rough and tough, my protective Natsuki." She grinned as she watched the younger girl give another small lopsided smile. "So, anything else?" Shizuru asked with mild curiosity.

"No, I'm just glad she didn't ask me what my intentions with you were." Natsuki said with a muffled sigh: her hand had run down her face tiredly.

Shizuru gave a low chuckle from her throat. "It was fortunate that she didn't ask me that question about you when you're healthy and released from the hospital - it would have been inappropriate." She winked flirtatiously. Natsuki turned red and coughed. Shizuru turned her head cutely to one side, grinning. "Would you like me to whisper it to you?" She murmured as she drew closer, her eyes focused though lightly hooded and her hands moving like a cat on the prowl.

"N-n-no, no, that's okay, I'd better not know." Natsuki stuttered, futilely pushing herself back further into the bed while Shizuru came ever closer.

"Oh?" The older girl quirked an eyebrow playfully, "So, you would prefer it to be a surprise? That's understandable. Though, I should warn you, you will need all the energy you can get." She stated in the lowest octave of her voice, making Natsuki involuntarily shudder. Shizuru laughed again as she slowly leaned close enough so Natsuki could feel her warm breath brush her lips. Hypnotized, Natsuki felt herself lean closer.

"Hello there." Came a male voice from the doorway.

Natsuki slammed her head against her pillow, her hands gripped the sheets and her eyes clinched shut, her throat emitting a low, irritated growl. She heard Shizuru sigh and remove herself.

"Oh, hello Reito, it's quite the surprise to see you here." Natsuki's eyes snapped open as she heard Shizuru speak the person's name.

'Sonofabitch.' She thought in a hard rush, trying to hide her sneer.

Reito smiled charmingly again, his eyes drifting from one girl to the other. "Yes, I just stopped by to make sure Kuga-san was okay. Mrs. Fujino told me everything this morning." When he noticed how Shizuru glanced away guiltily, he chuckled. "Don't worry about me, Shizuru. I remember well your feelings for each other all those years ago. I wasn't one bit surprised when your mother told me you had fallen for someone else, as I knew exactly who that person could be." He smiled at Natsuki, who looked at him with mild surprise and gave him an equally mild smile. "I hope to see you up on your feet soon, Kuga-san." He wished politely.

"Yeah, thanks Reito. Appreciate it." Natsuki replied in her coarse voice.

"Thank you for your concern, Reito. Now, Natsuki needs her rest. If you don't mind…" She drifted off, trying to sound polite.

Reito smiled in a smug way that made both girls aware that he knew what she _really_ meant to say. "Of course. Rest well, Natsuki-san." He waved his adieu and exited the room, his smug smile remaining until he was no longer seen.

Shizuru chuckled at Natsuki's aggravated sigh, the bruised and normal eye shutting so Natsuki could relax herself a little easier. She moved back to take her seat on Natsuki's bed. "I spoke to the vet this morning." She murmured.

Jade eyes shot back open again. Shizuru could see the unbearable curiosity behind the fatigued eyes. "Really?" Was all she said, trying not to seem like it was a huge deal for her. It was obvious she didn't want to bring her hopes up.

Shizuru smiled, knowing just how much Natsuki wanted to know. She didn't mind telling at all. "They said he's going to be alright," Her smile grew as Natsuki smiled a broad smile back. "They just request that he remain there for a few more days till he will be well enough for us to continue caring for him." The smile grew to a grin as she watched Natsuki's eyes become glazed with water and her smile remain. Natsuki said no words, only continue smiling gratefully and blink away her tears of happiness. Shizuru took Natsuki's hand and gripped it, showing her undying support and happiness for her.

They remained like that for a few minutes that felt like seconds to them, especially Natsuki since her mind was reeling with thoughts of what she and Dhuran were going to do when they're both well again. "Hey," Natsuki finally muttered. "Doesn't that mean that you'll have two people to care for when the both of us return home?"

Shizuru shrugged and smiled. "I have absolutely no problem with nursing you two, especially you, Natsuki. I want to make sure that you recover without complications, and I know I'll be careful and gentle to the both of you." 'Besides, it'll be fun when Natsuki is well enough that we can turn that into a "role play" game one night. – "Would Natsuki wish me to take of her belt? Or perhaps my dress? What would Natsuki prefer?" – Oh, Natsuki's right, I _do_ have the worst thoughts sometimes.' Shizuru thought, trying to hide her grin.

"By the way," Shizuru immediately continued, trying to get her mind off its dirty thoughts. "What did you mean when you said that Girochi might as well call you my new suitor?" She looked at her with curious expectancy.

Fear shot onto Natsuki's face. Or perhaps it wasn't fear, but intense nervousness. "Oh, yeah, well, um…" She stuttered through words yet again. "I… I was, um…" Her jade eyes peered up to Shizuru's, whose expression hadn't changed one bit and still looked just as innocent. Natsuki sighed, there was no getting out of this, and perhaps now was the best time to say it anyway. "Last night, in your room, I couldn't sleep, at least not for long. I was thinking about you… and me… and I was asking myself questions like, "Could I see myself ever loving someone else this much?" and "Could I ever trust anyone else enough to treat Shizuru the way she deserves?" For all, the answer always ended up being no." Natsuki looked up to Shizuru, who gazed at her fondly.

Though she loved seeing that look, she knew she shouldn't have: it only made her anxious again. She looked away again. "The possibility of… of marrying you kept entering my head and… after thinking about it for a long time… I thought, "Yes, I want to."" This time, she smiled at Shizuru's touched and adoring look, feeling proud of herself for finally revealing her thoughts. "Although," She continued with a shrug, "I wasn't exactly expecting to say this to you only fifteen minutes later when your bastard uncle stormed in. I wanted to give it some time." She admitted in a somewhat sheepish manner.

Shizuru couldn't stop looking at her nor could she stop smiling. This exultant feeling just refused to leave, she wanted to take Natsuki in her arms and kiss her all over her face, but she feared hurting her with that bruise on her face. "Well, why don't you just ask me that important question now?" She asked in a calm tone despite the beaming look on her face.

Natsuki gawked at her exasperatedly. "I can't propose to you here! Not with this bruise and all these bandages and NOT while just sitting in this bed! I want to at least do it properly, with the kneeling and everything." Shizuru's giddy laugh made her pink a little and cast her eyes away shyly.

"Yes, I suppose that's fair. I just hope I can wait that long." Still grinning, Shizuru eyed the contours of Natsuki's body beneath the covers. She peered back up into Natsuki's eyes, 'May I join you?' her eyes said. Natsuki smiled and wordlessly lifted the covers. The older girl eagerly slipped in, throwing the waves of her ocher hair behind her head and laying it close to Natsuki's. "May I at least give you my answer early?" She whispered.

The younger girl smiled again. "Yeah, you can." She whispered back.

"Good," Shizuru murmured, bringing her lips close to the navy hair splayed over the pillow. "Yes, I will." She smiled broadly, feeling Natsuki do the same. She carefully moved her arm to rest over Natsuki's midriff, the other reach down to lace her fingers with the paler ones. She lifted her lips and, finally, brushed them against Natsuki's loving their feel and response. Her tongue teased the younger girl's lips and was very happy to feel Natsuki allow her room to invade her mouth and caress the soft tongue inside. She giggled as she heard the other girl moan softly. Oh, she couldn't wait till the day when she would no longer be restricted to kiss only Natsuki's lips, soft though they were.

Silent seconds passed. Both had eventually broken apart, the 'smacks' of suction upon each other's lips finally ceased. Natsuki listened to the second hand of the clock hung on the eggshell-colored wall tick away. "I wonder what we do now, besides the whole engagement-wedding thing." The azure-haired girl whispered more to herself than anyone else.

Shizuru was silent for a moment, then decided to answer. "Well, I've always wanted to have kids…" She heard the 'beeps' of Natsuki's heart monitor become much closer together.

"WHAT!?"

_The End_


	11. Mine Beloved

Do not own Mai-HiME characters. Yada yada…

Thank you everyone for your tremendous support:) For those of you that showed me where corrections were needed, punctuation, grammar mistakes, etc, thanks a lot, I really didn't want a lot of errors in the final chapter of the fic :) (A special thanks to Leebot for helping me stay on my toes in the last few chapters and for his/her incredible help and advice :) )

As for this chappie: Warning! SMEX SCENE… _hem-hem_… . . … And I'm sure you all know me by now – when there are "firsts" between the characters, good descriptions are necessary. And, of course, a lot of fluff.

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Chapter 11: Epilogue - Mine Beloved

Shizuru sighed blissfully as she released the half-bun in her smooth and beautifully-styled hair while Natsuki closed the door behind them, leaning her whole back against it with a huff. They just survived the wedding reception with all of Shizuru's family and Natsuki's friends. The reception interior was stylish with a hint of sophistication (actually, it reminded Natsuki a lot of the décor of the nightclub to which Shizuru had nearly dragged her). Mai had gleefully accepted being Shizuru's Maid of Honor, while Natsuki had to make do with Tate being Best Man; the two were planning on being wed on a date much further from Natsuki and Shizuru's, so it worked out more reasonably than having Reito as Best Man.

Since Japan was still stingy about marriage between two of the same sex, Shizuru suggested they go to Canada to wed. Natsuki regarded her with a rather nonplussed stare when she heard it, "Canada??" She had never flown anywhere before, much less go overseas. Naturally, she was a bit nervous. Shizuru easily understood that and, after a great deal of logical talk between the two (which was sparked only by Natsuki feeling disinclined towards flying), it was decided. So thus, all of the invitations were given, requesting for all to attend the Kuga-Fujino Wedding in Vancouver, Canada.

The most amusing sight was the look on Haruka's face when Shizuru asked her to be one of her Bride's Maids: It was like the woman swallowed a golf ball; her eyes grew so big and she almost refused to breathe. Though it took the busty blonde quite a while to give them a plain answer, they were happy to see that she accepted with minor reluctance. And, of course, Yukino had joined not just because she was a friend of the two, but to help Haruka as her 'moral support'. Mai had suggested inviting Miyu, but all not only knew that would Miyu choose caring for Alyssa over them, but they would have a hell of a time flying her to Canada without getting 'beeped' in the metal detectors. Both were surprised that Nao attended the wedding. "I didn't come for you," Nao had bluntly said when Shizuru thanked her for coming. "I came for Natsuki." All the same, Shizuru still couldn't help but smile and appreciate Nao joining them in their celebration; she was happy Nao had grown to care for Natsuki so much.

Many of the others from school were invited and several gladly accepted. Natsuki just made Shizuru promise to not make a big deal out of it when inviting people. This was only because she didn't want to see a bus full of ex-fangirls at her doorstep with sneers along with torches and pitchforks. She could just see herself immediately trying to shove the invading girls back out the door by their faces and she trying to shut the door against the strength of them all together.

The wedding was planned perhaps a year after Natsuki proposed – two and a half years after she arrived at the hospital. By the end of the first four months out of the hospital, all that was left to be seen of the bullet wound was a deep-red scar on her shoulder that seemed to refuse to discolor. For the entire time after Natsuki had been released, she had to wear her arm in a sling, which, of course, Shizuru always helped her with. For a long time after that, her arm and shoulder was still sensitive so nightly activities had been, unfortunately, barred.

Natsuki actually didn't mind it so much, for even though she was rough and fearless when she had nearly 'raped' Shizuru that one night, it had come only out of anger and pain. Ever since the strength returned and health fully restored in her arm and shoulder, she would always see that look in Shizuru's eye when evening came around: "W-well, why don't we just wait till the wedding night?" "Forgive me for my aggressive tone, but, when might that be, Natsuki?" Shizuru had once asked with almost imploring eyes. Natsuki pinked and gave a small smile. "Soon, I promise."

And Shizuru would always reluctantly agree – she had been waiting eight years for the moment when she would be allowed to touch her. Surely she could wait a little longer, (no matter how torturous it seemed). As long as she had Natsuki near and willing (though she would often blush bashfully) to kiss her and to allow to be kissed, she was comfortable with any understanding. To help the arrangement, they each slept in separate beds. The mornings and afternoons would often be spent with each other, unless Shizuru had one of her early business meetings to attend with her colleagues.

She grew more anxious as her green eyes lingered yet again on the beautifully pearl-and-blossom-adorned, ornate strapless wedding dress Shizuru wore. Natsuki was surprised that when Shizuru and her rode away from the chapel on Shizuru's father's fixed (and polished) like-new motorcycle, dirt didn't collect at the hem. Shizuru made the smart idea of having a tailor add pins and hooks to the back of the dress so that hem could be pulled up a bit and not catch on the gears.

Even now, by some miracle, it looked pretty immaculate. Of course, it was hard for any woman wearing a dress to ride a motorcycle if straddling it, so Shizuru instead rode it 'side-saddle' and held on tightly to the woman driving. Natsuki was just thankful that the bike arrived from overseas-shipping in time, Shizuru of course being very willing to pay for the rather pricy fee.

She heard Shizuru sigh contently again. "That was wonderful, was it not?" She removed her bulkier jewelry around at her wrists and set them on the polished, dark wood desk and inspected herself in the mirror.

"Yeah, it really turned out well. I was happy to see your mother so pleased with the whole thing, including my request to marry you." Truth be told, it shocked the hell out of her when she found how accepting Setsuka was towards them. Of course it wasn't as if she had gotten a warm hug or anything; her mother's personality was much too dry for that as she received a pleasant smile and a "Why that's wonderful! I'm so happy for you two!" in a low-key sort of tone.

"I think my most favorite part was when you proposed." Shizuru grinned even though she was still busying herself with refreshing her make-up. "You were so nervous and sweet, it was just perfect."

Natsuki smiled self-appreciatively, happy that Shizuru loved it since it had taken her so long to figure out how she should do it in just the right way. She knew that Shizuru was starting to be unsure as to whether Natsuki was going to live out her promise. It had, after all, been two and a half years since she told her she was going to propose (she told her she was going to, she just never stated _when_).

She remembered she had to call Mai for advice a few weeks after she had gotten out of the hospital. She also remembered Mai screaming her ear off, "YOU'RE GONNA PROPOSE!?" It startled her so bad that the sudden movement made her arm hurt like a bitch for the second time that day. When she settled her, Mai said that it always best to do in the evening, maybe with candles. A dinner together at the table always seemed too conventional, her redhead friend had stated almost offhandedly. "Maybe a picnic inside the house in front of the fire? Don't forget the candles!"

Then, the image of how everything should look fell right into place: Move the coffee table and instead lay a blanket in its place in front of the fire. Perhaps couple glasses full of dessert wine. Everything looked perfect in her head; she just wanted to wait so that she could catch the Kyoto beauty off-guard. So she took her time and enjoyed Shizuru's company as her official girlfriend. It had been an embarrassing first few months as Nao had a particularly fun time waving it over her head, teasing her about it in her own cold way. Despite, Natsuki tried her best to ignore her. Finally, one night, over two and a half years later, Shizuru had finally come home again and they sat laid in front of the fire, casually chatting. After perhaps twenty minutes, she decided to pull out the surprise. Knowing that Shizuru was going to be lying instead of standing, like she wanted, she hid the special box beneath the older girl's mound of pillows.

"Get up. I think you're on something." Natsuki had asked nonchalantly.

To Shizuru, apart from the addition of candles and delicate wine glasses, it felt like the same thing they'd do once every so often after the more stressful days. Not noticing anything out of the ordinary, she stood up so Natsuki could retrieve it.

Natsuki recognized the look on Shizuru's face, the look that said her heart had stopped – she tried not to smile and instead look solemn and serious. Wide crimson eyes watched as Natsuki - with care for the box- opened the little black box. From inside gleamed a three-diamond, rose-gold and silver-gold etched band. It was more beautiful than Shizuru had ever dreamed. Natsuki maneuvered herself so that she kneeled in front of the shocked girl that had stood before her.

"Shizuru?" Natsuki had started, her voice shaky with nervousness but her eyes fixed onto the watery ones which gazed upon her. "Will you marry me?"

It was then that the tears begun to fall. She didn't even answer before flooring the girl with her own body, kissing her fiercely and excitedly. "Oh Natsuki! Yes! Yes! Of course I will! I would love nothing more than to marry you!" Shizuru heard the younger woman laugh below her, holding her tightly. After a few minutes, Shizuru gently lifted herself from Natsuki's embrace. When the older woman was going to lean down and retrieve the box from Natsuki's hand, the younger girl stopped her.

"No, let me do it." Natsuki pulled up the box and removed the ring, smiling.

Fresh tears gathered in Shizuru's eyes as she simply watched her love gently slip the ring onto her slender finger. This time, the older woman couldn't stop the rivulets of tears as they rolled down her cheek as she leaned in again to press her lips tenderly to the smaller ones.

Even now, as Natsuki stood lost in thoughts in their rather grandiose hotel room, she could never the way Shizuru's eyes looked like beautiful, sparkling rubies when she would begin to cry out of sheer happiness.

Natsuki meandered over to the foot of the bed, flopping herself exhaustedly upon it. Her eyes closed for a moment to regain her strength. When they reopened, the sudden appearance of the woman leaning over her gave her a bit of a start. However, it wasn't just that as there was something else that made her heart rattle harder against its cage, 'Oh god… that look…'

Shizuru gazed at her, a heat in her eyes and her mouth, unlike usual, was unsmiling; so stern, yet so wanton. "I love how attractive you look in your suit." Her hand caressed the folds of her white jacket, then slipped down the white pant leg of her thigh.

"Shizuru…" Natsuki murmured almost breathlessly, uncertain.

"I've been rather patient, Natsuki. Do you not agree that I deserve a treat?" The younger girl noticed how husky the other woman's voice became. The look in her eyes almost scorched through her clothes as they ran over her body.

"Shizuru, we're not in here for five minutes and you already…"

"I cannot help it, Natsuki. I want you." Shizuru uncharacteristically interrupted. Her voice was like hot, rough sand as she crawled up and over Natsuki's body. A blush colored both their cheeks as the older woman's hand caressed its way back up to Natsuki's cheek.

Shizuru lifted herself up and off of her and extended a hand to help her to her feet. Natsuki, spellbound, wordlessly took it as her eyes remained locked. She made no move to stop her as Shizuru undid and removed her jacket and tie.

Tawny hair flew over the older girl's shoulder as she turned her back to her. "Could you," - she tapped a dainty finger over her shoulder, her eyes peering over to her – "unzip me?" She murmured.

Natsuki could hardly speak as her trembling fingers came up, clasped over the small zipper, and slowly brought it down along the track. As she watched more skin and black lace undergarments become exposed, the dryer her mouth felt. She drank in the sight of her smooth back. "Thank you." The older girl whispered, carefully removing the dress from her perfectly formed body.

Natsuki's heart began to race as uneasy thoughts came to her head. Was she ready for this? Long ago, just letting someone touch her casually seemed uncomfortable enough. She didn't want to seem prude or anything of the like but… well, what should she do? All she knew now was how stunning Shizuru had looked in that dress and how absolutely striking and – just thinking this word alone made her blush even more –_sexy_ she was in lace. She had never seen Shizuru in such scandalous apparel. Sure, she had seen her in corsets and perhaps a few garters but _this_… intricate and almost see-through black and purple lace cropped-corset with black lace panties and black garter suspenders that attached to each stocking. Natsuki could look at nothing else but her. The luxurious room became nothing but empty space around them to her eyes.

Shizuru giggled, making the light of the room catch onto her smooth lip gloss. "Natsuki, close your mouth, it's obscene." With a tap of her hand against the bottom of the younger girl's slackened chin, Natsuki promptly closed it with coloring, embarrassed cheeks. "Would you like me to turn the lights off?" The tawny-haired girl asked softly, her burgundy eyes searching her own with a patient smile.

Natsuki weakly nodded. "Yeah. But, can we have a little light? I want to…" Her blush deepened. "I want to see you."

Shizuru's smile widened a bit as she nodded. "Of course." The lights were turned off and only one set of curtains were drawn back, leaving the lucent, crème-colored curtains to cover the spectacular view behind the sliding glass door that led to the balcony. City lights accompanied by the dim beams of the moon sifted through the shades, allowing shadows to blend with the night within the room. Shizuru, with her usual alluring, soft shake of her hips, strode back to Natsuki. "Is Natsuki okay?" She murmured with a nearly inaudible laugh as her hands slid almost possessively from the swell of Natsuki's breasts to over and around her shoulders, her lips and body drawing closer.

The younger girl gave a small nod as she brought up the courage to place her hands on the curves of Shizuru's waist. Her fingertips tingled at the feel of her soft, warm skin. Green eyes kept darting between the crimson ones and the lips that begged to be kissed. She felt her breathe in a soft sigh before they finally pressed fully against her own. Smooth, warm, and tender, yet passionate. Natsuki felt herself falling into the sensation as Shizuru's leaned her chest into her own, arms wrapping around her neck. Her own arms wrapped further around her waist, pressing her hips harder against her.

A quick inhale followed shortly by a moan full with need – the older woman couldn't hold it back as she moved her hands to cup her face by her neck, rotating her head to kiss her again at the opposite angle. Shizuru forced herself to pull away, her eyes gazing heatedly, desperately, into the forest looking back at her which bore the same with a hint of ambivalence.

Crimson eyes drifted down as her fingers idly undid each button of her blouse. Though Natsuki didn't observe her progression, she could feel how and where the other woman's eyes traveled as more skin became exposed to the cool light of the night. Soft breaths tickled and warmed the tops of her breasts and the gully between. Their eyes met again, Shizuru's never leaving Natsuki's as her hands came up, buried themselves beneath the blouse at the shoulders, and pushed - her hands slid down along her moderately toned arms until the article fell to the floor.

Shizuru's hands then braced themselves onto Natsuki's back. She leaned close, her eyes never leaving the younger girl's till they could no longer be seen – when her lips were an inch away from Natsuki's skin. Her eyes closed as she tenderly kissed along Natsuki's collarbone; along her breastbone, nearing the hem of her blue-lace bra; back up, along her throat. She felt the lace of her bra scratch and tickle her skin and knew Natsuki could feel the same.

Natsuki had no choice but to shut her eyes and simply feel - to hold onto the woman kissing and touching her skin; she was already dizzy from the sheer tenderness of it. Her breaths had already come shorter from the mix of anxiousness and sexual enticement growing inside her. "Shizuru…"

"I need to feel Natsuki's body against me." Shizuru murmured huskily, obviously experiencing the same. "I need to touch Natsuki's skin; to hear her call out by my hands and lips. I want to hear her say my name in the way I had always dreamt she would. I have dreamed of having Natsuki this way for so long… _so long_… and…. I don't think I can wait much longer." Her hands trailed down to Natsuki's black leather belt, spending a few more seconds than necessary to toy with the buckle as she undid it and slipped it off. Her eyes remained on Natsuki's once again as she did so and continued by unbuttoning and unzipping the pants, allowing them to fall. Gently, she pushed Natsuki back so she was sitting on the bed.

Panting faintly, Natsuki moved back on the bed, watching Shizuru's eyes as she crawled back onto it with her, her body moving over her. When she felt her head land on the pillow at the front of the bed, she stopped and continued to watch as the older woman straddled her, hovering just over her pelvic bone. Hands braced themselves at either side of Natsuki's body.

Shizuru seemed to simply gaze at the girl below her. Natsuki looked so beautiful. Her body, so lithe and fragile, yet so strong and physically manicured; her azure hair splayed in such a lovely fashion across the pillow; the look in her arresting eyes, so focused yet timid with its hint of defiance (as always) and yet so willing, however uncertain. She laughed.

Natsuki blinked. She made her laugh?? "What's so funny?" She asked, the excitement beginning to dissipate at this turn.

"Natsuki's nervous. I can see it in her eyes." Shizuru smiled broadly as if proud of something she had achieved.

Natsuki pinked again, hesitating. "Well, 'course I am." She answered dully, as though reluctant to even having this conversation. She didn't like it when people figured her out that fast. But, of course, Shizuru had always been the sharpest woman she knew. "I've never done this before, and you know how I am when it comes to… to intimacy. Aren't you?"

Shizuru only smiled and shook her head. "As I said, I have dreamt of this night, when I would be yours, and you mine. I know what I want to do to Natsuki, and so I have no fear." At Natsuki's cute blush and continuing silence, Shizuru softly ran the palms of her hands from the girl's shoulders to her hips and returning back. "Just lay back and relax, my Natsuki." Apparently she didn't need to say this as the work of her hands already did most of the job: Natsuki released a sigh and let her weight fall into the cushion of the pillow and bed, her eyes fixed onto Shizuru's. "I'll try to be gentle." And the older woman leaned over her and laid her body upon her, coaxing her lips open with her own.

The lips parted, and the older woman took the advantage and softly touched Natsuki's tongue with her own, lovingly swirling and caressing it till a moan released from the throat of the girl below her. Shizuru smiled. She swore the lips dripped with honey, they were so addictive. Brave hands held her waist again, caressing the skin of her lower back beneath her tight corset. Her own fingers dug beneath Natsuki's body to her bra. With a bit of maneuvering, she managed to undo and remove it.

Shizuru lifted herself up a bit and gazed at the dark nipples. After admiring the peaks of the small mounds, her eyes snapped up to Natsuki's, whose blush was noticeable even in the dim light.

The older woman smiled as her eyes followed her hands which ran up from low on Natsuki's hips and stomach to cup her breasts. While one caressed the side of one mound, the thumb of the other teased the dark nub of the one it held. She could feel Natsuki beginning to pant by the rise and fall of her chest against her hands. She leaned over her again, her lips caressing her skin from high on her neck to the valley between her breasts, taking idle care on her way down. Her tongue came to where her thumb had been teasing the hardening nub, flicking it over and over, running tight circles around it.

By now, Natsuki's pants finally became very audible. Shizuru felt a hand lie upon the back of her head, showing the other girl's growing acceptance to this treatment. Crimson eyes peered up, though she didn't stop. From what she could tell, the jade eyes were closed and lips were parted. Holding back another smile, she leaned her head toward the untouched twin, her body going with it. Her mouth encased the nub, licking and suckling, both at the same time and alternately. She heard a dull cry release from Natsuki's throat, her body beginning to squirm. "A-ah!"

A slender hand meandered its way down the fairly-chiseled stomach until it came to finger the lace hem of her panties. "Part your legs for me, Natsuki." She requested, whispering hotly in her ear. After so many years of being denied access to such treasures of the younger girl's body, she found she could no longer be civil.

Natsuki wordlessly obliged, shakily parting her legs. Shizuru noticed that her pants suddenly became faster and louder. Her fingers buried themselves beneath the fine material and combed into the silky patch of cobalt curls. When she thought Natsuki felt ready, she went lower.

"Natsuki, you're so…" Shizuru bit her lip, suppressing her own urge to moan as the unctuous wetness gathered around her dainty fingers. Warm pleasure already electrified her. She busied her mouth with its previous task upon Natsuki's hardened peak, its surface pressing hard into her tongue.

"Ah, mnh, Shizuru…" Natsuki arched her back mildly in her arms, soft moans coming between short pants. She heard the older woman giggle near her ear, her fingers continuing to stroke her at an easy pace. Her hips began to buck soon after the fingers begun to stroke her length faster. Moans and gasps began to bubble beneath her chest, pleading to be released. She felt the other girl press her hips hard into her thigh, straddling it and soon grinding herself against it, needing something to fight off her own arousal. Her own vocal pleas became inevitable when Shizuru's fingers caressed her harder than before. "Shi-…Shizuru!"

"Yes," It strangled from low in Shizuru's throat. She felt as though she had absolutely no willpower to keep her moans and cries in check; it felt too good to hold herself back as she grinded herself harder against the firm thigh. Natsuki pressed herself into Shizuru's hand, the waves of heat and passion becoming harder to endure. The wanton expression, hard pants and flushed cheeks the younger girl held told the girl above her how close she was. Smiling around the pleasure she currently placed on herself, she did her best to help Natsuki reach the edge.

"Ah, AH! Sh-Shizuru! Wha… Ah, uhn… w-wait!" Natsuki tried to speak around her gasps and cries. Her hand shot down to Shizuru's wrist and pulled her away.

Shizuru, who stopped moving against the other girl, gazed at her, surprised and concerned. "Natsuki? Did I hurt you?" Natsuki answered her by grabbing her at her waist and pulling her down next to her. "Natsu…" Shizuru was silenced by kiss, gentle yet dominating. When the tawny-haired girl felt the girl holding her reach for the hooks of her corset, she smiled into the kiss and maneuvered her body as needed to help her as her arms encircled her. When Natsuki finally managed to take the corset off, she reached down to undo the garters and remove the stockings (taking a moment to marvel at her slim legs with a surreptitious glance). Then, gazing softly into the crimson eyes that lovingly gazed back into her own, she pulled back the covers, let Shizuru slide in first, then followed after her, removing her own last article of clothing in the process.

For Shizuru's last bit of clothing, Natsuki took her time in that - that was apparent as she left them on and laid her body onto Shizuru's. Natsuki shivered; Shizuru sighed around her smile. 'Her body's softer and warmer than the bed.' The cobalt-haired girl thought to herself as she brushed the tawny hair away with the tip of her nose and kissed roughly along the smooth column of her neck.

"O-ooh. Oh, Natsuki…" Shizuru gasped, craning her neck to allow the girl more room. She almost laughed, surprised at how dominating Natsuki suddenly became. She briefly wondered how Natsuki would behave if she succeeded in enthralling her to an almost primal need. As much as she wanted to find out, she feared receiving complaints from the neighboring rooms the next morning (she grinned to herself at the thought). She couldn't help but sigh deeply as Natsuki pressed her closer to her body. Her breaths became more frequent as she felt the soft lips move down, beneath the sheets.

"I'll be gentler this time." Natsuki whispered as she took a taut nipple into her mouth.

Suppressing a soft moan within her throat, Shizuru sultrily teased, "Natsuki does not have to be." She couldn't help but smile broadly as she felt the body above her stiffen – she could tell just by that that the younger girl was blushing severely.

"You're not helping me at all, Shizuru." Came the muffled words through the sheets, locks of blue hair the only part visible above the layers of bedding.

The older woman grinned. "Natsuki does not seem to need my help as she's doing so**very** well." The fingers of one hand buried endearingly into Natsuki's hair at the back of her head. "Natsuki has always been such a fast learner; I have no doubts that her talents will be quite…_pleasurable_." She paused as the younger girl's hesitation sustained. "Continue, Natsuki. I know you will sense when you err according to my…" Shizuru herself pinked and took a silent breath. "_Responses _to your, no doubt, talented care."

So she waited, her fingers still entangled in the azure strands. Her eyes fluttered closed as she felt the girl above her continue her ministrations onto her breasts. She arched herself harder into Natsuki's hands and lips. Soft moans came from her parted lips as she felt Natsuki fulfill her promise unto her body. Her ability to think and speak coherently was defenestrated and she allowed herself to simply _feel_; her tongue was so soft and her uncertain nibbles were gentle while carefully rough at the same time. Shizuru's hands followed the contours of Natsuki's lean back as the woman lowered herself, kissing down her flat, heaving stomach. When she felt the lips come close to the lace of her panties, her heart pounded as Natsuki slowly removed them with her thumbs. The small article of clothing was tossed outside the bedding to the floor.

By the way Natsuki moved, it seemed as though she looked with her hands and not her eyes, feeling the curve of her thighs. It was absolute torture: the gentle touches of her hands and fingers would come so close to where she needed to be touched and then they would draw away as if a magnetic field was pulling them back and forth. After a few seconds of searching, Shizuru's breath finally caught when fingers finally traced experimentally over the hot, ready flesh at the apex of her legs. Her hands grasped Natsuki's shoulders, holding her with desperation and desire.

"Mnh-ah!" Moans burst from her as she felt Natsuki's thumb caress her. She panted with each touch while Natsuki maneuvered her legs so that they rested over her shoulders, giving the older woman no choice but bury her hands deep into Natsuki's hair again. "Oh!" Her back arched at the dubious caress of a soft tongue against her. "Ha…" She panted as a warm mouth enclosed over her; a gentle suckle. "Nats…!" She threw her head back against the pillow as the more confident stroke of a tongue followed long against her. Lips repeatedly pressed against her, all around her. So soft and gentle. It sent a wonderful spark in her heart. Natsuki… The caresses continued, their frequency intermittent but intensity growing as Natsuki alternated between kisses and licks and suckles.

Shizuru tried so hard not to scream her ecstasy into the otherwise silent room. "Ah! Oh… mnh… Ha-Ah!... N-mnhhh… Ooh, Natsuki…" She felt her body grow unbearably warm as the seconds passed. The wonderful seconds… At almost every wave of intense pleasure that rolled through her, her head would tip back and her hold on Natsuki's hair would tighten until the wave subsided.

"Shizuru…" Natsuki's breath tickled her. The older woman felt the hands release her trembling hips. The hot palms slowly ran up from the pit of Shizuru's stomach to the utmost rib bone, just beneath her breasts.

Shizuru's back arched high again, her head dipping back as a cry finally broke free. "Natsuki!" It felt as though all the fires that had gathered at the pit of her stomach were spread throughout her body, setting her blood aflame. She panted hard, her glazed eyes shooting open to stare at the ceiling. Shizuru's voice was a very odd but equally alluring mixture in this state – the sophistication and class of the Kyoto-ben accent wrapped in utter abandonment. "Natsuki, please… Ah! I-I don't know h-Ha! Ah... how much longer I… mnh!" Trying to speak at all was futile as the hands repeated their track along her body, the lips and tongue remaining relentless along her length; swirling and dipping. The heat, the pressure… it finally released as Shizuru unconsciously pressed Natsuki against her, her long-awaited cry erupting from her as she shut her eyes tight against the unyielding waves and blinding white light.

Natsuki waited for Shizuru's body to finally give in to its weight and fall back onto the bed before slowly bringing herself back up from beneath the covers (quickly making sure to clean her face of the perspiration and Shizuru's essence from her mouth). Her cheeks reddened further as she gazed upon the flushed face and slightly-furrowed brows above closed eyes.

Natsuki opened her mouth to speak, but stopped as she feared any noise may break the beautiful, intimate image before her. A couple seconds' passing; she tried again. "I take it I didn't "err"?" She asked in a rather confident but low tone, smirking down at the girl trying hard to catch her breath.

Eyes still shut, Shizuru shook her head, making strands of wavy ocher hair stick to her glistening face. "No." She whispered breathlessly. "Never. It was so wonderful." It was then that she slowly opened her eyes, gazing back up to her.

Natsuki almost gasped but held it back: Shizuru's eyes looked so much brighter than she'd ever seen. They were like beautiful, warm vermilion beacons bearing an immeasurable capacity of love, adoration, devotion and trust. Her hand unthinkingly came to caress Shizuru's cheek, her fingers stroking into the silky strands of wavy hair and brushing her bangs out of her deep orbs of red. Smiling fondly, Shizuru reach up, took Natsuki's hand, and pressed her lips tenderly into her palm.

"How ironic this is." Shizuru whispered thoughtfully, her fingers teasing and lacing into Natsuki's own. "I never expected that, between the two of us - here, tonight - I would be the first to suffer the aftershocks of incomprehensible pleasure. I had wanted it to be you, Natsuki." She stated softly, her eyes unwaveringly upon the emerald ones above her.

Despite already knowing this, Natsuki still blushed and glanced away sheepishly. "It's okay. You don't need to." She figured that the woman below her was already too drained to even move by the hooded look in her eyes.

A corner of Shizuru's lips curved upward in a tired smirk. "Oh no. I will make sure to give Natsuki her share." A murky heat swirled in her scarlet eyes as she gently pushed Natsuki up so that she kneeled onto the bed, the sheets draping off her body. Shizuru, sitting up and placing her legs between the other girl's, let her eyes drink in the sight of her 'husband's' skin encased in the dim glow penetrating the curtains. "I'll give Natsuki everything she's given me and more."

As Natsuki felt soft hands feel their way up to her hips, one turning to press against the small of her back, she felt her heart hammer in her ears again. She wasn't sure which made her more nervous: giving pleasure or receiving it. When she was between Shizuru's legs, she was so apprehensive towards how and what she should do. She followed only her instincts; made guesses. At least the darkness and the older woman's encouraging sounds and hands helped a great deal. Eventually she lost herself in the very taste that was Shizuru. Now, it was just a matter of allowing herself to be touched in such a passionate way without growing too overwhelmed.

She placed her hands onto the shoulders of the woman below her, helping to keep her balance as slender fingers traced the curves of her worked yet soft abs. Shizuru's breath ticked the skin there as she caringly caressed her lips against her there. She jumped and gasped when the fingers touched her moist petals and slowly began where they had left off. The emerald eyes, which had been gazing down onto the head of ocher hair below her, turned dark and closed as mild vertigo settled over her again. As the strokes slowly increased speed and pressure, so did Natsuki's pants.

"Natsuki," Shizuru called softly, as her tongue came up to replace her fingers tracing the small crevices of her abs, "You're trembling." She teased, feeling the lost girl above her shuddering with every other breath she released. Natsuki only released a moan that was hardly audible. She smiled warmly against the quivering muscles. "Let me give you the pleasure I've always wanted to." As she spoke, she slipped one, then two fingers inside, stroking her back and forth.

"Ah!" Natsuki inhaled sharply and grasped Shizuru tighter. Like before, the fingers started slow, then slowly increased speed. Shizuru could feel the moisture coat her fingers as the muscles enclosed around them tighter. "Uhn-Ah! Ha! Th-that…!" The younger woman couldn't help but dip her head back, her long cobalt hair rippling as it came below the small of her back, where Shizuru still held her rocking hips.

The older woman, never letting her precision waver, gazed up to her face. She couldn't stop her eyes from hungrily watching Natsuki's face contort with pleasure; eyes closed under furrowed brows, flushed cheeks and parted lips. She felt the muscles contract around her invading fingers again.

"Shizuru! Ah! Ah!!" Though the feelings of such intense waves were overwhelming, she felt no traces of fear or loneliness like she had for so long. Then, she nearly cried out as the tip of a soft, warm tongue came to join the fingers. "Uhn! Ha-AH! Mnh!" Behind hooded lids, her green eyes peered down and watched Shizuru's head bob subtly back and forth, her face hidden beneath her hair.

"Natsuki, mnnhh…" Shizuru moaned softly as she lost herself in her love's natural taste and scent, the tip of her tongue continuing to caress whatever skin available and teasing the sensitive bundle of nerves. She could feel Natsuki's body begin to warm as sweat gathered around her palm against her back. She smiled she noticed Natsuki's knees about to buckle as they quivered from the loss of their strength and concentration.

The spring inside her stomach coiled tighter and tighter. Natsuki could feel is as moans and gasps burst from her lungs. "Shi-Ahh! Shizuru!" The rhythm and vehemence of Shizuru's fingers and tongue and lips made her hips rock and her head thrown back. Fingers repeated parted and separated her, stoking her rigid walls with even greater fervor. It felt as thought the very tips of Shizuru's fingers came to almost barely touch – teasing - the sensitive circle deep inside that tortured her, pleased her and set her body aflame. This was like nothing she'd ever thought it'd be; almost fulfilling and even just so beautiful despite the rather blunt actions against and within her. She held onto her wife's body as the flaming spring tightened to its limit, waves of heat soaring through her. "AH! Uhn… Mnh! Ah-Haa! I…" – _inhale_ – "Mnh! Sh-Shizuru, I…!" Her nails dug deep into the shoulders she stooped her body to loop over Shizuru's head. "D… Don't let go…" It softly strangled out of her throat.

"I promise." Shizuru moaned, holding her tighter as she felt her fingers almost lose circulation at the hard convulsions around her wet and reddened fingers. The piercing at her shoulders made her wince but still she held her and she couldn't help but smile softly as she held the tensing body till the rolling waves subsided. The girl above her then slowly leaned her body forward, its weight almost too much to hold upright.

Her arms tightly around her, Shizuru, with as much strength as she could muster, gently eased her to lie down beside her. Natsuki was still panting hard. The younger girl forced her eyes open and reddened even more as she caught the sight of Shizuru - who was propped up on her elbow – taking her two glistening fingers and licked the cream from them. The sight seemed almost obscene yet, at the same time, not. Perhaps it was just the shock of watching her formerly-best-friend do something like that right before her eyes. Her mind was still having trouble registering certain things since she first felt the girl next to her touch her; she had forgotten for a moment that she had married this girl.

When Shizuru noticed she was being watched, she, with the tip of her finger still in her mouth, grinned and winked teasingly at the blushing girl. She laughed when Natsuki's eyes widened and instantly looked away. A few minutes passed, both were silent apart from the sounds of their breaths. The older woman traced her hand lovingly over Natsuki's naked abdomen, noticing the rise and fall of her chest beginning to slow to a comfortable pace.

'This almost does not even seem real.' Shizuru thought to herself, sighing contently as her eyes wandered over Natsuki's beautiful face and body. She wanted to ask her so many questions: How do you feel? Did I hurt you at all? Do you feel any regret? About anything?

Instead, she kept the questions to herself, afraid of spoiling this pristine moment. Natsuki's eyes had fallen shut, and as the minutes continued she waited for the indications of sleep from the younger girl. Shizuru knew that she probably will never allow herself to sleep that night. Natsuki's face, the way she looked in her afterglow… never a more beautiful sight.

The blue hair was in slight disarray with some strands falling over her face; her cheeks still had a hint of pink in them; a light sheen of sweat still remained across her neck, in the gully between her breasts and down along her stomach. Best of all, the expression on her face… she looked so happy in her own discreet way.

That alone answered her question as to whether Natsuki regretted anything; it lifted her heart so greatly she almost lost her breath. She never thought that she'd be given the chance to be in bed this way with her heart's desire, much less wear a ring of her eternal love for her on her finger. Every time she would catch it in her view, she couldn't help but gaze at it, elation growing in her heart. Shizuru inwardly laughed. Guess that ribbon she tied with Natsuki Kuga written on it at the public festival at Fuuka really fulfilled its task.

"Despite all that you said and did," It suddenly came from Natsuki's throat, startling the older woman out of her thoughts. "You were gentle with me." Her green eyes opened to Shizuru's warm smile. She smiled back before another thought came to mind, making her smile drop and her eyes look around during her more comprehensive thoughts. "Although, I might want to build up my stamina for the honeymoon; you just might kill me then." She smiled broadly as she earned a laugh. When Shizuru's delightful laugh subsided, Natsuki's expression grew more somber. "Thank you for not letting go." She said almost as soft as a hush, her cheeks pinking again as though embarrassed by saying six simple words that meant so much to her.

Her wife's smile grew even warmer then. "I would not have let Natsuki go even if she had asked me." The smile dropped only when she noticed the other girl's body quake a bit. Remembering that she was covered and her husband wasn't, she immediately reached down and pulled the covers up and over them to their shoulders. Once that was done, Shizuru's hand snaked back under to Natsuki's waist, bringing her closer. She laid her head on Natsuki's chest, over her heart. The gentle rise and fall as well as the soft rhythm of her heart were so soothing.

"I liked the way you looked when you walked down that aisle." Natsuki mentioned almost casually, suddenly needing to tell her. It was one of her favorite parts of the wedding - watching Shizuru come toward her down the aisle, her mother guiding her. The whole march seemed so slow and with each step she took, Natsuki's heart thundered harder and louder against her. She could even see Shizuru bite her lip anxiously passed her smile beneath her veil.

Shizuru giggled. "My favorite part was the look on your face when you slipped the ring on my finger, saying "with this ring, I thee wed." You looked so nervous and cute, like a child, and yet so certain and strong. I wanted so much to kiss you, but I knew I must wait until you were told to lift my veil." She paused for a minute, her mind drifting to the reception. "When I threw the bouquet, I was not expecting Yukino to catch it. Did you not see how both Yukino _and_ Haruka blushed?"

"Yeah, but Yukino turned a lot redder than Haruka." Natsuki noted.

"I know, that's why I approached her and asked her if she had kissed Haruka yet."

Natsuki looked down at the ocher hair below her with a stunned look. "You _what_??" She could only imagine how red that girl must have turned.

Shizuru only laughed at Natsuki's reaction. "I must say she took the question rather well, if you overlook the stuttering, wildly slighting hand gestures and profusely-blushing face. She said that even though she cares for Haruka, her feelings like her are not like my feelings for you. I, however, beg to differ." Shizuru claimed with great certainty.

'She sounds almost as wickedly-eager as the day I was sick and she brought home that green onion… that was scary…' Natsuki thought, her eyes widening in terror at the last memory. She'd never look at a green onion without cringing again.

"I also thoroughly enjoyed the moment when you were required to remove my garter." Shizuru added a short time later, her smile growing wider as each second of the memory passed through her mind.

Natsuki groaned, removing her hand from Shizuru's back to run down her face. "Yeah, but I could feel your mother's eyes on me the entire time. It was kinda hard to keep my honorability in front of her while having my hands up your dress." She stated humorlessly.

Shizuru, on the other hand, couldn't stop giggling. "The stolid look about your face gave me that hint. You were so adorable, trying so hard." She chuckled. "You seemed to have the same problem when we danced together as husband and wife."

Natsuki's head shot up. "Hey! I thought I was doing pretty well!" She defended.

Shizuru looked up at the woman staring at her. "You were; you may just want to let me lead next time." She offered. When she was a child, she had eventually grown to master the more elegant of dances such as the more popular forms of the Waltz and the Foxtrot. Even though it was almost required for a bride and groom to at least learn the typical choreography, Natsuki wanted none of it for fear of making a fool out of herself in front of the class, no matter how small. "Perhaps we could experiment with some real dance classes?"

Natsuki's head fell back onto her pillow, releasing a hard sigh. "Oh shut up Shizuru."

Shizuru released her own soft sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Mnh, you are already starting to sound like a husband." She couldn't help but grin.

"Hey wait! What's that supposed to mean?" The offended girl looked back up at her again with an annoyed glare. Shizuru only gazed at her softly, the grin still playing on her face even as Natsuki continued to defend herself. "Hey, you know I don't mean to sound like some hard ass when I say things like that, but I'm just saying that I don't need some stupid classes to…" Natsuki was interrupted with a soft kiss, tender and loving. "To…" She kept trying to continue, but each gentle kiss immediately silenced her. It didn't sound as though she was going to push the older woman away so she could speak, as each word would come softer than the previous.

She felt the older girl slide on top of her body, one knee falling between her legs. "I love the way Natsuki feels against me." Shizuru murmured between kisses. "And I love being in her arms. If we learn to dance, I can do both, even when under public eye." She coaxed.

Natsuki smirked; oh her wife was a clever woman. "Shizuru," She started when given the chance from the older woman's entrancing lips. "You're going to stay in my arms one way or another - hence the reason why I wanted you to marry me - so I wouldn't worry about it." The kisses immediately stopped, and Natsuki smiled – she remembered.

Shizuru looked down at her. _"I'm going to stay in your arms one way or another."_ 'That day at the park…' She couldn't help but giggle again, feeling tears gather and cloud her vision. "Natsuki," The tears seemed to alter her voice as her name came out somewhat hoarsely. "You are so sweet to me, it is almost cruel." She nestled her head beneath Natsuki's chin, her arms tightening around her, sniffling lightly.

Natsuki smiled as she caressed Shizuru's back with both of her hands. She had been waiting for the right moment to remind her of what Shizuru had promised her that day. Everything around them - the silence of the room, the soft feel of linen sheets and cashmere blankets, the diffused blue hue along each wall from the light of the moon, the warmth of Shizuru's body upon her made everything seem so peaceful. She could finally feel fatigue settling over her when she felt hands frisk along her body. Jade eyes shot open as she felt lips lovingly press against the area just below her collarbone.

"… Uh, Shizuru…? What…?"

"Mnh…" The predator above her sighed, her body almost squirming in slow motion against her. "Everything about Natsuki is so sweet and beautiful. Her heart, her mind, _her body_…" As if for emphasis, she finished breathily before lustily kissing and suckling on her skin as she moved down. "You make me desire you more with every word you speak and every movement you make."

"W-whoa, hey Shizuru! S-settle down!" Natsuki tried to pull the girl back up before disappearing beneath the sheets.

"Simply think of it as me helping to further develop your stamina for the honeymoon, Natsuki." Though Shizuru came back up from beneath the covers, her hands still laid themselves on Natsuki's smooth thighs. She pried them apart.

Natsuki's head fell exasperatedly onto her pillow. "You insatiable woman! At this rate, I might not even make it to tomorrow!!" She blushed despite her protests when Shizuru sat upright, the sheets upon her falling onto the bed behind her.

Shizuru smiled almost deviously as she brought one thigh over her own. "I merely need to feel you one more time, before the night is done. Just one more time, Natsuki." She solicited, her tone alluringly soft as she leaned her body over the girl's below her. She lifted one thigh over Natsuki's other, straddling the apex of Natsuki's own legs.

"What are you, working on my Will already so that when you kill me with your _sex_capades you'll inherit everything??" Natsuki's accusing voice was heard from beyond the sliding door that led out to the balcony of the room.

"Oh! Natsuki is so mean! I would never do a thing like that!" Shizuru defended as the newly-wed couple's glass doorway to the room from the balcony retreated slowly further from view.

"I'm not so sure…" Natsuki muttered to herself albeit jokingly before all went quiet. Within minutes followed only the sounds of forgotten thoughts and dimensionless feelings:

"Shizuru… I lo…" the last word was impeded as a soft groan took its place.

A low, soft giggle came close behind. "Mmn, Natsuki… I love you too."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Just to clarify what happened there, in case some happened to be confused, the camera is basically zooming out slowly as the "curtains come down", leaving the young lovers to their "activities" hehe. And I know, I know, I never stated where the two were going for their honeymoon. But, I was afraid that saying where they would go would make others say, "ew, why there???" so you can decide where you think a cool place for them to go would be. I did have an image of them going horseback riding along a beach during twilight. Maybe even spontaneously race to some point in the distance and the loser would have to "treat" the other, hehe.

Throughout the thought of them doing their dance as husband and wife, I kept thinking of the songs At The Beginning by Donna Lewis and Richard Marx, and Because You Loved Me by Celine Dion. I Can't Help Myself by Bellatrax.

I actually had a bit more descriptive sentences planned in some parts but I decided perhaps I should save some for the sex scenes in later chapters ;P It may take me just as much time to write and post the next one because I'm only halfway through my first year of college and I wanna do good. I had planned so that I would post this at about the end of first semester and post the next one at the end of second semester (maybe only a _little_ longer week-wise cuz of all the work I have to do – summer jobs to replenish money spent on speeding tickets (aheh… ;;) and retaking the motorcycle course to brush up on my skills since I haven't ridden in a year… things like that. Thank you for your support and patience:)


	12. Evolution

Okay! Long time no write people! So, this installment is an interesting one, almost like a one-shot but with my pretences ^^ I'm very happy with this piece because of the… well, you'll see! Some parts may seem scrunched. If so, I apologize (I edited it twice though I still may have missed something). Everything here just sorta flooded in at once as I was re-reading my old work and had a terrible urge to write it!

To be honest, I had a little something long before I wrote this, perhaps a year ago, but I felt it was too boring a chapter with not a great deal of plot in it, so I held off until these ideas came into my head. I'm very happy I did too! (Although I'm sure none of you are quite as happy due to my intense hiatus.)

I have another idea which I'd like to put onto paper: I want to focus on Natsuki's and Shizuru's life directly after the carnival, perhaps a couple "days in the life of" chapters in a fic. I'm hoping I can do this – meaning have enough time to do so.

ANYWAY! I do not own anything and I can promise you all these ideas were my own! (Perhaps the only idea I picked off of someone was in the form of fanart, but that is the extent of it.)

(Remember, the more you review, the more inspired I'll be to try out that new fic mentioned above!  )

Thanks for stickin' with me guys!! (P.S. THIS FIC CONTAINS A RATHER HOT LEMON SO MIND YOUR EYES FOR THOSE WHO ARE A BIT FAINT OF HEART!!)

* * *

"Hiroshi!" The twenty-some year-old boy, startled, shot his head up only to slam it into the underside of the hood of the Nissan he was working on.

"Arg-What!?" He yelled back, massaging the back of his head with his hand before remembering himself and redirected his tone. "Yeah?" He turned to the woman dressed in baggy working jeans and an oil-spotted white wifebeater approaching him, her blue-black hair sticking out of her auto shop cap in a pony tail. A wrench clutched in her gloved hand stuck out of her folded arms.

"Are you finished with the Nissan's transmission yet?"

He sighed. "Getting there." He mimicked her folded arms.

Her brow quirked. "And the Toyota's tires?"

"Just finished them half an hour ago." He answered, getting impatient. "Get off my ass Kuga. You haven't gotten that promotion from Wamasaki yet so cool your jets."

Natsuki's hands went to rest onto the curve of her hips as she shifted her weight. "I'm just saying. Wamasaki likes us getting things done faster - gave me a raise for that so I'm just helping you out too you know."

"Yeah, yeah I know. Thanks." He said dully as he went to return to the transmission.

"Besides. There's gonna be another motocross race today so if we get things done faster, we'll be given more time to watch it on the tv set during our break." She smirked, knowing that would catch his attention.

"Oh, no shit? Sweet. Yeah, I'll get this done before then." He turned and eagerly went back to work.

Natsuki smiled. She had worked at Wamasaki's multi-purpose auto shop for a few years and her knowledge and vigor in her work quickly gained her favor in the eyes of her employer. Hiroshi came in perhaps six months after her, so they had become quite close despite their constant bantering. Hiroshi was sorta a charming guy in his own way; he always meant well even though he was often immature. He had sorta a punk look about him with his industrial ear piercing and semi-long, spiked blonde hair, which was being held down by his worker hat.

By now, Hiroshi had learned that Natsuki batted for the other team since he would often catch her on the phone and speaking words like "I love you" and "be home later" to some girl named Shizuru Fujino. Of course, he knew this when he snooped a look at the "dialed/received calls" and texts to find out who the secret "lover boy" was, only to be sorely mistaken and sorely beaten when Natsuki caught him. Over a great amount of time, Natsuki forgave him after being given a sincere apology from him.

Truth was, Hiroshi had a thing for Natsuki before he found out, which was what drove him to look at her messages. Luckily, he managed to talk himself around explaining that to her. Now they've simply become good mutual friends. He's never met _the_ Shizuru Fujino though. He had always been curious, but then he always assumed she was some butchy girl like most other lesbians go for, considering that Natsuki seemed pretty feminine despite her clothes and street-like rhetoric.

"You coming?" Natsuki shouted from across the garage several minutes later, sitting lazily in one of the two employee chairs. Her legs rested next to the tv on the desk. The tv already began to roar with the revving of engines about to race.

"Yeah!" Hiroshi shouted back before tightening the last bolt and slamming the hood down. He jogged up to her and took a seat next to her, reaching into the cooler for a beer.

Several seconds passed, both as into the race as ever. Each whispered comments such as "stay inside" and "pass him" to the riders as though they could hear them. Both were equally into motorbikes as they were cars, but Hiroshi excelled in cars and quads whereas Natsuki knew motorcycles and dirt bikes.

Eventually, during a commercial break, Natsuki's gaze wandered over the half-organized garage. It was pretty clean for a motor garage, but it still reeked of oil, metal, rust, rubber and gasoline. But she didn't mind that. It was a scent that she had long been used to. Her eyes lazily landed on a Volkswagen with its hood up. Her brows furrowed in slight perplexity.

"Why is that Volkswagen's hood still up?" She asked Hiroshi suspiciously, her eyes never leaving the SUV.

He peeked over his shoulder to it. "Oh, it needs an oil change." He turned back to the semi-snowy screen of the old tv set.

She looked at him almost accusingly. "And you didn't give it one?" At Hiroshi's denying response, she then asked in a slightly irritated tone. "Why didn't you?"

"You didn't remind me when you were asking about the Nissan and Toyota."

Her eyes flared at his dull look. What a brat! She rolled her eyes as she got up and went to it, her hand reaching out for a jug of fresh oil. He turned back to the screen, his attention quickly returning to the race as a rider went down hard into the dirt. "Oh man." He chuckled and crinkled his face at the harsh replay. He didn't hear the clicking gait of heels next to him.

"Excuse me?" The low, soft-spoken voice inquired.

"Huh? Yeah?" He glanced up for only a second, only registering the business-attire of the person standing next to him.

"Would you be so kind as to tell me where Natsuki Kuga is?" The woman asked.

"Huh? Oh yeah," He pointed blindly to the person in question, who stood before the Volkswagen's hood. "Over there."

"Thank you very much." The voice came cordially.

"No prob." He just managed to fit that in as he blindly reached for the bag of popcorn left from earlier that day and brought it into his lap. When the women went by him, his eyes glanced at the woman's backside and did a double-take. Chestnut hair was half-pulled back into an ornate brown clip, her hair falling over onto her business suit which was obviously very form-fitting. Her black skirt clung to her thighs, her long legs flawless. He took a very large gulp of his beer, his eyes still hanging on her curves.

The woman strode over to the fit body that was leaning over the Volkswagen's engine, inspecting it. She waited for the girl to acknowledge her. Natsuki didn't look at her, only felt a presence. "Yeah, what can I do for you?" She asked monotonously.

"You could kindly bend over for me a little more."

Natsuki's eyes shot wide open, insulted. She sharply turned her head. "What?" Her face relaxed at the smirking pink lips above her. "Oh." She smirked at herself - She walked right into that trap. "Hey. What are you doing here?" Her voice became infinitely softer as she stood upright, keeping herself from giving her working woman a peck on the lips and thusly smudge oil on her skin or clothes.

Shizuru clutched her briefcase in both hands in front of her and shrugged, smiling. "I just wanted to come by, I'm on my break. I've never seen your shop before."

Natsuki looked at her incredulously. "Break? You're the head of Fujino Industries; can't you designate your own breaks for however long you want?" She ignored the sputtering from the boy a couple yards to her left. "And I thought I showed you the shop before?"

"Well, you did. But I've never come while you're working before. And I must say, I think I must come by more often to just simply watch you." Shizuru's lips curved into a playful grin as she looked her greasy body up and down suggestively, which earned her a light blush from the other girl. "And, yes and no: as you know, these past couple weeks have been very busy for me and I've been meeting several planning teams whose schedules aren't quite as flexible."

Natsuki only nodded, remembering Shizuru not returning home till very late in the evening, giving the house to herself and Duran. She never said it, but the nights had grown to be quite lonely this past week, not having a real person to come home to. And Shizuru had been continuing with this sort of work for a month.

"Which also leads me to tell you that I'm afraid I'll be late again tonight." Shizuru said with a saddening look on her face.

Natsuki looked at her dejectedly. "Oh… okay." She felt that that crestfallen answer came out to be a bit more obvious than she had intended. Perhaps it was that she hoped that finally tonight she would be home early and they could actually eat dinner and go to bed _together_. Whenever she asked what it was she was doing, it always seemed to be something different - a new task every week. She knew that Shizuru always worked hard for the company, but these past few weeks had become ridiculous in her view. The older woman always returned home perhaps an hour after Natsuki did, but lately it had gotten so that Natsuki wouldn't even remember her returning home at all. The only evidence she had of Shizuru returning to bed would be the rumpled sheets on Shizuru's side of the bed; she always awoke far earlier than Natsuki did.

Shizuru looked at her sympathetically. "I'm sorry; I know this must be tiresome for you. But it'll slow down soon, I promise."

"That's what you told me last week." Natsuki reminded softly with a look in her eye like a child being let down by her parents once again that she couldn't have her book read to her before going to bed.

Shizuru regarded her sadly, her heart being torn by Natsuki's look. "I know, but I plan on keeping my promise that it will. It'll just be a little longer."

"What in the world are they making you do this time?"

Shizuru's eyes seemed to glance away as she took a deep breath. "There's just been a lot of work thrown my way, you must understand?"

Natsuki regarded her with a dubious look. That evasive answer made her feel a bit unsettled, as if the femininely-dressed woman were hiding something. She never pried, always assuming it was just perhaps too complex to explain. She was about to speak when Shizuru's phone rang in her purse. She watched as Shizuru muttered her apology and answered the phone.

After a few seconds of silence, Natsuki caught her wife's brief glance in her direction before turning entirely away from her, pressing her hand against her other ear. Natsuki's eyes furrowed. 'What was that look for?' She wondered. The crimson eyes seemed to express a hint of concern at the fact that the call occurred right in her presence. She couldn't make out what the older woman was saying over the noise from the tv, and it irritated her as her curiosity got the better of her. There was a brief moment that there was no noise as the program changed to a commercial that the younger girl caught something.

"Yes… I am very sorry for my tardiness but I had to change out of my work clothes…. I couldn't very well see you in my business clothes. Otherwise I would feel out of place. And you should know how constricting they can be…" Natsuki then caught a light giggle from the girl in front of her.

Natsuki's eyed the woman before her thoroughly confused. 'She has to be somewhere where she finds business suits out of place?' A few seconds later, the business woman flipped her phone shut.

"I'm very sorry Natsuki, but I must return to the office. I have a meeting with the marketing manager. She can be impatient." Shizuru explained hastily as she shoved her phone back into her purse.

Natsuki muttered her words of understanding, her eyes falling onto the concrete floor. She heard the other woman sigh before feeling her chin gently being lifted and a pair of lips pressing onto her own.

"I will see you tonight." Shizuru whispered as she moved to depart.

Natsuki's eyes wandered on and off the other girl disappointedly. "I hope so." She muttered, knowing that the other woman wouldn't hear her.

Shizuru meant to look back onto her car but stopped and felt a smirk coming onto her lips. "Natsuki?" When the mildly curious jade eyes returned to hers, she continued. "I think your friend has lost interest in the race…"

Natsuki turned to Hiroshi and found his eyes to be the size of golf balls and shoving popcorn frantically into his mouth. Natsuki grabbed her rag and threw it in his direction, effectively landing straight in his face. Shizuru chuckled. She turning back to her and gave her another goodbye before leaving. Hiroshi made sure to whip the rag off is face to watch her pass.

Natsuki sighed, leaning her hip onto the car's grill. She turned toward the exit only to find her eyes magnetized to Hiroshi's gawking stare.

"Are you flippin' kiddin' me!?" He asked exasperatedly. "And you're lucky I'm wearing my cap, by the way. If you had gotten motor oil in my hair…" He warned, though he never seemed to frighten Natsuki with his warnings. "Where did you pick up that number!?" He glanced back in her direction, although she had been gone for a few seconds. "And by the way, _Shizuru Fujino_? Of Fujino Industries? You're an auto mechanic banging a foxy business woman with more money than God?? Are you serious?" He looked like his brain was going to melt from the realization.

Natsuki didn't answer. That was enough for him.

"Oh.. my god. You lucky bitch." His eyes gazed up dreamily. "Oh man, what I would do to that girl in my Beemer." His lowered voice didn't help him.

"Hey," She waved her wrench in his direction. "First of all, that's my wife you're talking about. Secondly, you don't have a Beemer and stop wishing for one. Thirdly, you're an asshole. Fourthly, get back to work." The fierce green eyes didn't seem to faze him, but he got up anyway.

When he returned to his post, he stopped for a minute and turned. "Wait, you're wife? Holy shit! Did you ever bang her on her desk?"

Natsuki blushed despite herself. "Will you shut up? You're such a guy!"

"So are you!" He called back from clear across the room.

A knot pulsed in the back of her head. Natsuki reluctantly said nothing. He had her there.

* * *

Later that evening, Natsuki reclined on the couch in Shizuru's house, Duran at her feet. She clutched the guitar close to her and practiced her notes. She had been practicing for a while now, just as a side hobby. It had proven to be most helpful during her nights without Shizuru home. The older woman knew of this too and had been quite excited about it, exclaiming that her wife would follow her everywhere if she were to go on tour. Natsuki never saw that happening and often laughed at the thought.

No, it was just something to pass the time and, maybe, play with a few bands in local bars for the extra cash, if she really wanted to and was good enough. And that was a big "if." In her view, she wasn't the best, but she was certainly better than she was and was happy that she learned in such a short amount of time. Her favorite was bass guitar, but it was a tad rougher on her fingers than the regular guitar, so she would often jump between the two but of course not learn quite as quickly on one or the other if she were to play just one.

What spurred her to take lessons was when she walked in on Shizuru playing her piano expertly, though the song was slow but sweet and somber. She remembered Shizuru telling her it was the music to a classical title, The Flower Duet. Or something close to that. She had often wondered how she and Shizuru would do if they played together. But that often felt like a corny thought to her so she never mentioned it; though she did wonder if that ever came into the older woman's mind as she glanced at her immaculate piano.

She sighed at her own thoughts of Shizuru. Her thoughts on her wife were reaching paranoid levels, as they often did if they didn't know the absolute answer to constant questions. 'It can't be something like an affair or anything like that.' She tried to convince herself, laughing inwardly. But for Shizuru to talk about not wanting to wear business clothes, which became her everyday attire and something she had long since become very accustomed to, seemed odd.

She imagined a woman from her building convincing Shizuru to come over to her place and doing… whatever. Or maybe her business is going under and is afraid to tell her so is getting money by selling herself to men. She inwardly laughed at that idea. She would think that if there were something going on at work, she would tell her.

But, still. She hated being out of the loop and didn't like crazy conclusions going to her head. 'It's been a month… does an intricate business transaction really take up so much time that she continuously comes home at close to midnight? And wouldn't the building have been long closed down for the night? I mean, obviously she would have a key, but…' She sighed.' 'I guess I'm still adjusting to her working full time at the industry now.'

Shizuru decided to take over the business when she noticed that her mother could no longer handle it on her own. Originally she didn't want to take it over. But she knew that, in her years of being a part of the industry, she knew very well how to manage it. Natsuki didn't mind so much before these busy weeks. She actually found her business suits to be quite sexy on her and Shizuru would often get home with plenty of time to chat and give each other attention. Of course because of her working so hard, finding time to be intimate had become difficult. Beforehand, sex wasn't something they did every night for reasons such as boredom or something superficial. So they didn't do it incredibly often, but when they did it was always amazing. Natsuki had gotten better at being more forward, and of course Shizuru thoroughly enjoyed that.

Jade eyes flicked down to the beat of Duran's tail against her ankle. "Want me to keep going?" She asked, indicating the guitar. At his noiseless response, she continued strumming the strings. She could see the strings in the dim light of the living room as the firelight reflected beautifully across the strings. She liked to watch the strings of light vibrate as she strummed. She jumped when her phone went off on the wooden table. Duran jumped and started barking at the intruding sound. Natsuki shushed him as she flipped the phone open.

"This is Natsuki." She answered, sitting up, making the dog climb into her lap.

"Hey." She recognized Hiroshi's voice. "The boss just wanted me to let you know, his wife is coming in tomorrow in his place."

"Great." She answered sarcastically. She had only glanced at the woman once. To size her up quickly, the woman must have been in her mid forties with a body and face that shouted 'glamorous, exercise-aholic with very little on the brain.' She and her boss were one of those couples that seemed strange together with only a love for money in common.

"Hey, you have to agree she's one hot number."

Natsuki felt like slapping her hand onto her face. "She's over forty! And as you now know I have a hot number of my own already."

"Oh right." There was a pause. "Do you think you could bring Shizuru over again some time?"

Natsuki could hear the suggestiveness in his tone. "Hey, that's Ms. Fujino to you. And don't make me use the fire-extinguisher on you, again." She reminded him warningly.

"Fine fine." He whined. "It isn't Mrs. Kuga at home?"

Natsuki smirked again despite herself at the thought. "No. We both figured it would just be easier if we stuck with our maiden names to prevent the press snooping into our business." Natsuki then gasped as the realization came to her. "Which reminds me, don't go telling Shizuru's and my relationship to everyone. It would be so bad for her business if the world knew at once she was gay, much less sharing a place with another woman."

"I'm surprised no one else has figured it out by now." He stated. Natsuki wasn't entirely sure if it was him being serious or sarcastic then.

"Well, only our friends know. And if anyone asks questions, we just say that we're longtime housemates and good friends."

"Riiiiight." He droned in an incredulous tone. "So there's no chance you'd go for another girl then huh?"

"No." Natsuki answered flatly, slightly insulted that he would ask that but knew it was just him being himself.

"Never cheated on her?"

"No! And I don't plan to!" Natsuki answered snappily, now getting annoyed.

"Huh, well, that actually doesn't surprise me, the way you talk to her." Knowing that he meant on the phone, his observation left Natsuki somewhat curious at herself but didn't really want to ask. "So then how did you two meet?"

Natsuki sighed. She thought for a minute. Better give him the short, basic summary. "Well, basically I was a rebel and she was the student council president and…" Natsuki stopped and rolled her eyes as apparently that was enough to make Hiroshi start panting. "Ok, I'll see you tomorrow, bye." Natsuki ignored his cry to not hang up and flipped her phone shut. She groaned as she lightly tossed her phone back onto the coffee table. Duran, surprised, looked up at her. She looked back at him. "I hate men." She stated flatly. At his puppy eyes, she reached out her hand. "Besides you." She roughly ruffled the fur between his ears, making him growl in delight.

She laid there for another moment before glancing at the clock. 9:45. She still wasn't home. Natsuki hummed to herself before hoisting herself off the couch, turning off the fire at its switch and heading slowly upstairs to the bedroom, Duran following close behind.

* * *

Natsuki had been in bed for perhaps over an hour before her tongue started to feel thick like sand. Annoyed, she groaned before pushing herself off of the comfortable cushion of the bed to trudge down to the kitchen for water. As she walked down the dim carpeted hallway, her drowsy eyes caught a stream of dim light filtering out of Shizuru's home office doorway which was left ajar.

She stopped and felt her brows furrow. Quietly, she tiptoed up to the door and slowly pushed it open till she could see the inside. There, she found Shizuru, her fingers threading through her bangs as her palm kept her head from colliding onto the desk. The tip of the pen in her other hand worked vigorously on scattered papers. Natsuki almost gasped. She had never seen Shizuru in such a state. It reminded her of herself when she was in college working all night on a report. Normally, Shizuru's composure was always upright no matter how much work she had. And even more, Shizuru never stayed up this late working on her business reports; such work she had become so accustomed to that completing it was usually a breeze for her.

The source of the dim light was a single desk lamp, the shade turned directly onto her scattered papers on her desk. Which was another thing: Shizuru was normally very organized about her work. Her cherry wood desk was often immaculate. The light reflected dully off of her silver pen and windows in front of her. It was from the windows that she could barely make out the reflection of Shizuru's face and fingers laced through her hair.

'That's it.' Natsuki thought to herself, straightening. She pushed the door the rest of the way open and strode purposefully up to the older woman. Shizuru didn't turn until she happened to look up and see her reflection next to her. She gasped.

"Oh! Natsuki, you startled me." Though pleasant, her voice sounded rough and dry, much like Natsuki's own mouth. Her clouded eyes couldn't make out Natuki's look of disapproval above the lap's light. "How long have you been-" Her words were halted when the younger girl took the pen from her hand and dropped it next to Shizuru's phone, turned off her lamp, turned her chair, and lifted her entire body from it and picked her up bridal-style. Shizuru gasped again. "Oh!" Her arms instinctively went around her lover's neck. "Natsuki.."

"You're coming to bed. You've done enough for tonight." Natsuki stated in a hard tone.

"But, Natsuki… Hmnn." Shizuru couldn't protest as her head fell onto Natsuki's shoulder, her body finally giving in.

Natsuki carried her to their bedroom and gently laid her on her side of the bed, making it easier for her to slip her under her already tousled covers. She heard her sigh again as her head sank into the pillow. Natsuki was happy that Shizuru at least changed into her robe and didn't have to worry about changing her out of her tight business clothes. As her body relaxed, her robe opened.

Of course Natsuki's eyes were automatically drawn to the opening – however, what she saw did not make her blush. 'What the…?' She noticed that the red lace bra she had left on had a number of tears on it – one in the strap, nearly severing it entirely, and another within the lace of one of the cups. 'Where did those come from? She's normally very careful about her lingerie.' She wondered at it for a few moments before forcing herself to close her robe and replacing the sheets. She listened to Shizuru's body shift under the covers as she turned back toward the door and headed back down to the kitchen, shrugging it off.

On her way back up, two glasses of water in hand (in case Shizuru needed a drink as well), she heard a familiar ringtone sound as she passed by Shizuru's office. She abruptly stopped again. She listened to it ring. Could it be the person she talked to before? Maybe not, she thought, but her curiosity still made her wonder. She slowly walked back to into the dark room. The light of the ringing phone helped navigate her way through the otherwise pitch-black room. She looked at the caller ID. Yamada, Mokoto. "Don't know her." She whispered aloud. By now, the phone stopped ringing. She thought to herself in the dark. "Maybe a co-worker or something, maybe that head of the marketing team she had to meet with." Then, her phone buzzed – a text message.

She blinked at the blinding light and text that read "New Text Message." She set down one of the glasses and reluctantly picked up the phone and opened it. She had never snooped on Shizuru's phone before, she always trusted her. But this time, she just had to know. She opened the text and squinted her eyes against the light.

"Last night and tonight was very fun. You exhausted me. ;) We should do it again. – M."

Natsuki felt her heart pounding. Her mind began to race. She didn't like this. 'Shizuru..?' She began to feel tears swell up in her eyes and abruptly whipped them away. 'C'mon Natsuki, maybe it was just something going on in the office today and this girl just happens to be overly friendly…' Her heart still pounded, making her feel otherwise. She slammed the phone back down, grabbed the other glass with a bit more force than she intended, water sloshing over the edge onto the carpet as she made her way back out the door.

She roughly pushed the door open, though not with so much force as to make it slam onto the opposite wall. She looked down at Shizuru's form and watched her midsection rise and fall. The streetlight and moonlight mingling on her womanly face and hair made her look so beautiful, but that didn't keep another collection of tears from gathering in her eyes. She closed her eyes hard and could hear the small drops landing on the bedroom carpet. She breathed in a quiet, ragged breath and silently put one glass on the nightstand on Shizuru's side. She then walked over to her side and took a large sip from her glass before setting down on her nightstand.

Sitting herself on the bed, she ran her hands over her face, trying her clear her mind as well as to clear her face from the wet runnels. She felt Shizuru shift again. Perhaps the disproportion of weight she just put into the bed woke her. She hoped the older girl wouldn't feel the need to climb up to her and happen to see her like this. Perhaps she was wrong. She didn't want to make herself look like a fool and accuse Shizuru of things that she wasn't _absolutely_ sure about.

'Wait it out Natsuki. You're overreacting. You don't know the real situation..'

"Natsuki?" A faint voice whispered from behind her.

Natsuki closed her eyes hard again. "Y-yeah?" She tried to not let her voice crack. She forced herself to stare out the window.

"I want to take you out to dinner tomorrow. Someplace nice. Just the two of us." Her voice was weak from fatigue, but she continued. "There's something I have been meaning to tell you, and I hope you will understand."

It was then that the tears once again threatened to fall. She was sure of it now. Shizuru was giving herself to someone else. She tried to breathe silently and calm herself even though her tears would not keep themselves behind her eyelids. "O.. Okay." It was the only word she could muster without making her voice lose control under the tightening of her throat. She heard Shizuru flip slowly onto her other side. Her hand came softly up to her mouth, her fingers catching runnels of slow tears.

Was this a secret that she kept the whole month? She didn't mind her being gone before, and although the absence of her best friend made her a bit lonesome for her, this totally tipped her over the edge of her own strength. It now just feels so sudden. She wanted to know all at once how it happened, what she had done wrong, what the other girl did right, what she could do to make it right. She wanted to keep her, to never lose her to anything or anyone.

She took a large gulp of her water and forced herself to stop thinking as much as she could and laid her now aching head onto the soft pillow. She felt excess tears fall across the bridge of her nose. She slid herself under the covers, wiped them away, flung her long hair over her shoulders and closed her eyes. 'Shizuru…' She almost whispered in the darkness, 'I…' Her hand gripped the edge of her pillow.

* * *

Hiroshi couldn't take it anymore. He didn't know what got into her. First she was smashing the wrench against the engine of a poor Ford, and now she's rocking out rather vigorously on her guitar through the spare speaker they typically used for calling attention to employees (even though they were the only two). Finally, getting tired of hearing a series of sour notes, he waved his blotched-white rag.

"Ok! Ok I give! Just please make it stop!" He let his head fall onto his arm, which was being propped on the door of the Ford, which he took upon himself to finish when Natsuki gave up.

"Shut up, you fucking asshole!" Natsuki screamed at him harshly.

Hiroshi jumped back a bit. Even though she had told him something to that effect several times, that was the first time she had actually screamed it at him. He looked at her concernedly. "Yo, what's up with you?"

Natsuki's eyes rolled as she pulled the guitar from her and laid it back down. "Nothing." She responded bitterly, picking up the wrench and trudging back to the Volkswagen.

He turned and leaned against the Ford. "Doesn't look like nothin'." He watched her pass him silently, not looking at him.

She popped the hood and propped its stand in underneath, keeping it open. "It's nothing!" She stuck her head in, trying to concentrate with sharp eyes that were failing at staying focused. She sighed when she felt him come next to her. She slowly looked up at him, her eyes not necessarily boiling, but not necessarily inviting either. At his expectant look, she continued, "I'm just probably being paranoid about something that probably isn't happening and yet I'm getting all these signs that they are and…" She sighed again, finally leaning her hands into the edge of the hood, head falling downward, as though giving up. "I'm just afraid that I might be right."

Puzzled, Hiroshi was silent before asking, "Right about what?" He leaned his hip against the side of the car above a tire.

Natsuki looked up at him. She saw the look in his eye that she rarely saw but that she knew he had – a look of true understanding and consideration. She paused, looking away for a second as she responded, "That Shizuru's having an affair." Her voice was like that of a whisper; so low as if she believed that if she spoke it in her regular tone, it would be like claiming a wish that she didn't want to come true.

Hiroshi's looked at her incredulously, his neck jerking his head back and his brow curving upward. "An affair?" Even his voice rose in disbelief.

"Yes an affair!" She shouted, making him jump again. She ran her hand over her face, trying to sooth her rampant emotions by breathing. "Sorry." She eventually added with a soft honest voice, though didn't look at him.

"What makes you think she's having an affair?" He asked seriously, his brown eyes trying to catch any emotions from her from her side profile.

Natsuki sighed, not wanting to think of all the reasons yet again, much less speak them. "She's been coming home late every night for almost a month; she's been distant and not telling me what she's been doing; I read an overly-friendly text message on her phone last night; I found a piece of her undergarment-clothing torn when she came home; and also last night she told me that she wanted to take me somewhere and talk to me about something which she hopes I'll understand." Natsuki looked at him impatiently, as if daring him to tell her that her instincts are wrong.

Hiroshi just looked at her for a moment then shrugged. "Maybe it's all just a coincidence." At the roll of her eyes, he continued, "it's not like you really have hard proof that she's bang-" he quickly corrected himself at Natsuki's deadly, ice cold glare over her shoulder, "s-sleeping with someone else…" His eyes shifted nervously.

Natsuki was silent for a moment. She wrapped her very worn and unraveling rag around her left hand before setting it back atop the grill. "She left me a note this morning…" She didn't wait for a response, though her voice became suddenly pensive as she recollected, "she told me where to meet her and when and to 'sleep well'. That was it." She pulled the rag tighter. She sniffed. "Didn't leave me much to be hopeful about." Her voice became weak and dull, as if she had already given up in her pain and confusion.

Hiroshi folded his arms and shifted, trying to get a closer look at her face but she kept turning further away. "Shit girl, never seen you like this before." He said concernedly.

Odds are that was true. She felt like sinking into the ground, to pretend this wasn't real, to just be away from everyone. It had been a great while since she had felt depressed about anything, but this was a new level for her. The last time she felt depressed at all were at random times during high school, before the Carnival, and perhaps a couple times when she was living in her apartment during that great while when she and her to-be wife hadn't spoken due to loss of contact. Kaiji-sensei had once told her that being in love is the best-worst thing that could happen to you. See finally knew what that meant.

Her eyes opened as she felt a hand on her back, stroking her softly. A small smile formed on her face. This was the part of Hiroshi that made Natsuki become closer to him: he may be an upright asshole sometimes, but there was a sensitive side that made him a good listener and easy to talk to. Granted, they didn't often have discussions with this level of emotion. It still sometimes surprised her still that she allowed her to be this close to a guy other than Kaiji-sensei (who didn't really count, in her opinion). Perhaps it was because she knew they were more alike than she thought.

"Easy dude." He said, a smirk on his face. "Maybe it's just you being a girl for once and looking at it too hard. And besides, if I were her, I'd realize just how much competition I'd be up against when it came to snaggin' you. So, whatever happens, I wouldn't worry about being alone." His hand slowly fell from her back. His words brought a faint blush about her face in appreciation.

She pulled away from him and gave him a small smile. "Thanks, but I'm not entirely sure that'll help me." She stopped as she looked past him and saw a woman leering at her from her boss's office. She growled as she pulled away. "Why didn't you warn me she was here?" Although her emotions swung right to being annoyed now, she was happy for a distraction.

His smile fell as he looked in the direction her eyes went. He turned back to her. "I thought you knew."

"Hm, well, she musta snuck in without me knowing." Natsuki's nose crinkled. "At least she hasn't called me in yet for something stupid." She turned her eyes back to the engine.

"I've caught her lookin' over here a few times, so prepare yourself if she does." He replaced his hand on her back and smiled. "Get your mind back on that engine. It'll help the day go faster and we can get the fuck out of here with somethin' done."

Though it was weak, she smiled back at him as he returned to his side of the garage. "Yeah, thanks." Her eyes drifted downward onto the spotted concrete before drifting back up to her boss's door. The woman was still staring at her. Natsuki's eyes narrowed and starred right back into the woman's nearly black eyes until she slowly retreated back into her room.

She shivered. 'Just when I thought I had enough to worry about…' She shook herself a bit from the eerie feeling before returning to the Volkswagen. She wasn't entirely sure what it was about that woman that irked her; the woman was very quiet yet always seemed to rub her the wrong way. She often begged for random, useless things for stupid reasons. She sometimes wondered why in the world her boss thought her being in her husband's place for the day really made her any more useful. Additionally, every time that woman happened to be in the shop, never would Natsuki look up and _not_ catch her starring at her. She would have a better indication of what the woman may have been thinking of her while gazing at her, but she often distanced herself and thusly would never get a proper look. She swore that one of these days she was going to give the woman attitude and ask her what the hell she was starring at.

In time, the hour hand of the high clock finally came close to the hour that marked the end of her shift. The anxiety Natsuki felt in her muscles never seemed to leave. She kept working though, agreeing with Hiroshi that it would make the day go by faster. Long being done with the Volkswagen, she had moved on to another midsize Nissan with a fender-bender in its back bumper. Nearly being done with the tedious repair, she heard the office door click open over the stereo and instinctively looked up. She saw Mrs. Wamasaki peering back out of the doorway. Her body seemed to slowly lean outward as she slowly ran one stocking-covered leg against the other, meeting Natsuki's expectation of being a bit narcissistic in the self-loving way.

After a second, she finally spoke. "Ms. Kuga?" Her rather high-pitched voice rang out sweetly.

Natsuki rolled her eyes and looked in the other direction as if pretending to be suddenly invisible. "Yeah?" She answered, knowing that would be too good to be true.

"Would you mind…" She gestured toward the inside of the office, "following me?" Her eyes seemed to glint briefly as she smiled (what Natsuki guessed) a warm, inviting smile.

She grumbled silently as she dropped the torch she was about to use on the bumper. "Sure." It came out gruffly, though she was sure that the older woman didn't catch that over the additional sounds of the radio and Hiroshi's air-pump in the garage.

The older woman watched the ocean blue-haired girl come to her and, when they both entered, closed the door behind her. Once in, Natsuki's gaze swept over the white walls and stacks of white, pink and yellow papers covering almost every surface. A decent amount of space was left open on the worn desk, a corner of space left for a small and very old tv set. Natsuki walked over to another chair usually meant for customers meaning to speak with the manager.

The younger girl didn't want to turn back to the older one, she just simply wanted to hear whatever it is she wanted to say and get out. She quirked a brow as she heard shallow black heels approach her slowly. The clicking sound stopped, and after a few seconds of (what may have been) pondering, the older woman lightly asked, "How long have you been working here, Ms. Kuga?"

Natsuki turned to find the older woman's head tipping to one side as she leaned against another chair close to her. Her brown medium-length hair fell over one of her shoulders, which was covered by a small, faux leopard-fur jacket. Her large loop earrings looked like they belonged on someone perhaps ten years younger than herself.

Jade eyes tried to not look at her strangely like they always did. "Um, maybe a couple years? Two? Three maybe?" Natsuki answered uncertainly, wondering why she was asked that question.

Nearly black eyes regarded her with mild intrigue. "Oh? That _is_ impressive then."

The way she said that made an effective lure to Natsuki's curiosity. "What do you mean?"

The older woman shifted her weight on her legs, making her tight cloth skirt move with her thighs. "Oh, nothing. It's just that my husband often tells me he's impressed with your work. Says he'll give you a promotion soon. Maybe even hand this place over to you." She informed simply, her eyes casually dropping to a dusty corner as though not being as interested as she sounded.

Nonetheless, Natsuki's interest then immediately perked like a dog's ears. Her own shop? "Really?" She turned entirely towards the older woman now, wanting to hear more of what she heard.

"Oh yes," She nodded. "But to have been here only a few years won't make that happen so quickly." The glint in her eye returned. "I can help you with that though." The shoulder of the arm she was leaning on seemed to roll in an odd way as she said that.

Natsuki looked at her with creased, unconvinced eyes. "How?"

"Well," The older woman took a step closer, her eyes lowering though there was a smirk on her face that she wasn't suppressing very effectively at all. "Perhaps all you need is a little push." Just then, the older woman pushed her back into her chair, ignoring the yelp of surprise and climbing on top of her, each leg stretching under each of the chair's arms and over Natsuki's thighs. Her worker hat was flicked off and a hand fisted into her blue hair, pulling her head back. "Depending on the…" Her brows raised, her eyes became suggestive. "…'services' you deliver to me right now, I could give my husband a _very_ good word about you and your… 'work ethic.'" Red lips smiled devilishly.

Natsuki's hands were gripping the cushion of the chair's arms as her eyes stared up at her exasperatedly. 'Are you _serious?_' She tried to shake the woman's hand out of her hair but her grip was too tight. "L-listen, Mrs. Wamasaki…" She tried to reason until she was interrupted.

"Call me Kikyo." The older woman breathed as the fingertips of her other hand started to fiddle with Natsuki's close-fitting working tank-top.

She ignored her, a blush fiercely covering her face and clouding her ability to think. "I-I'm not that kind of person, okay? I mean, w-why in hell are you doing this?"

Her hands continued to wander, her nails lightly scrapping Natsuki's stomach. "Well, my money-grubbing husband hasn't been very affectionate with me lately. And, knowing the way he talks about you and how far you could go, I figured we could help each other out." She grinned playfully as she pressed herself harder against the younger girl, making her struggle more forcefully.

'What the hell!?' Natsuki tried to push her off but the other woman was apparently quite strong as the older woman moved to grip the back of the chair. She panicked as she felt the apex of the woman's thin legs grind against the zipper track of her jeans.

"Mmn. You do have a very nice body too." The other woman groaned, her head tipping back as her arousal heightened.

"L-look, I-I'm married and-" Natsuki stammered frantically, trying to get any word in she could whether her marriage was recognized in Japan or not.

Mrs. Wamasaki chuckled, still continuing her motions. "So am I, but that obviously isn't stopping me, is it?"

Natsuki, now having had enough, brought forth all of her strength and, with a bit of a struggle, lifted herself out of the chair. However, she hadn't anticipated Mrs. Wamasaki wrapping her arms around her neck to keep her body on her and, as she stood, Natsuki lost her balance and fell forward onto the desk. The stacks of papers and metal baskets and pens and tv set were all shoved off the table, making the room resound with a loud clatter and breaking of glass. The older woman laughed, her arms still around Natsuki's neck.

"Oh! I like it rough!" She laughed again, wrapping her legs tightly around Natsuki's hips, locking her from moving anywhere without hurting her. Natsuki growled in frustration when the door was swung open hard.

"What the fuck is…" Came a male voice.

Both women froze as they looked up.

There was Hiroshi, his eyes wide and his mouth gaping. "Ho-ly shit…." He turned to Natsuki, who was left entirely frozen in shock and embarrassment. "Kuga! Couldn't you at least save _one_ girl for me!?" He yelled. Due to the comical tone Natsuki recognized, the profusely-embarrassed girl knew that he would trust Natsuki's word over Mrs. Wamasaki's.

Natsuki was about to yell at him to shut his trap when she noticed a pair of eyes looking in from behind him. The sight of them now made her heart stop. 'Oh… no…'

Hiroshi, curious at Natsuki's suddenly very white face, turned around and immediately froze too. "Oh…"

Shizuru looked in, her eyes wide in shock yet her brows lined in bewilderment. "Nat… suki?" She whispered, not knowing what to think as she gazed upon the scene before her.

Hiroshi quickly collected himself and turned to Natsuki. "S-she was looking for you…" he informed her delicately. Of course, trying to be delicate certainly wasn't going to be helpful to anyone now.

At Natsuki's silence, Shizuru asked quietly to the degree that almost no sound came from her throat, almost as if she didn't wish to ask and much less know the answer. "What… What is…?"

Suddenly, Shizuru's shocked look fired something inside Natsuki which finally erupted, "NOTHING TOO DIFFERENT FROM WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING LATELY!" The younger girl bellowed before she could stop herself.

Shizuru jumped, as though someone had prodded her hard in the back with an iron poker. Natsuki had never seen her jump that severely before. Within a few seconds, she wished she had taken it back. Though at the same time, she was glad she said it, though her body wouldn't stop shaking from her tremendous mix of emotions now. She felt embarrassed, hurt, confused, frustrated, angry and bitter. She shook herself from Mrs. Wamasaki's grasp and stepped back. Hurt green eyes swept up to Shizuru's, now shining with the forming of tears.

Natsuki watched as she stepped back, trembling fingers moving up to lay on her quivering lips as her crimson eyes squinted slightly passed the barrier of wetness before her eyes. The younger girl, knowing she was going to run, impulsively wanted to reach out to her and catch her. To tell her that she was sorry. But she didn't. Her head fell, and she heard the other woman's fast steps receding from where she stood. She heard Hiroshi shout but her mind became too clouded to listen. She glanced up in his direction and found he had disappeared too. Perhaps he went after her, but to Natsuki she now felt it was a lost cause.

Her eyes swept over to Mrs. Wamasaki, who had sat up on the desk. It was obvious by her face that she wasn't exactly bothered by what just happened. At this, Natsuki's hands fisted and her eyes shut tightly, feeling her entire body become frigid with loath – loath towards Mrs. Wamasaki, herself, and Shizuru. And yet, she somehow felt that her bitterness toward Shizuru was ill-constructed. Perhaps on the grounds that Shizuru had held her heart for so long and vice versa. It just seemed… inconceivable for this all to happen.

"Well, that was unfortunate." Mrs. Wamasaki finally had the nerve to speak, although her tone of voice wasn't backed with a great deal of emotion.

"She was my wife. My soul mate since middle school…" Natsuki whispered, her mind trekking all the way back to when they first met. She didn't care if her employer's wife didn't understand, being Japanese. She just hoped that the word "wife" would play at least some role in her conscience.

"Oh, well, I wasn't talking about that. I was talking about the disruption in general." She waved her hand almost dismissively as her assertion came simply. Her interest went to the state of her bright red nails.

Natsuki turned to her abruptly, feeling a terrible need to slap her right off the table. "Are you kidding me?" She couldn't keep the venom from coating her words. She was pissed. This woman quite possibly blew up her marriage… not even her marriage, a wonderful relationship with a woman who she knew would love her like no one else for who she was. "I've just broken my wife's _heart_ because of you!" The seething feeling she felt toward this woman surpassed any resentment she ever held toward people like Hiroshi and Takeda (for old reasons) and any other man soliciting her for anything sexual combined.

The older woman shrugged as she leaned back. "It's your…" She then shrugged a disinterested shrug of uncertainty. "'Marriage', not mine."

Natsuki then knew that if she were a husky, her green eyes would burn bright red. In fact, she was surprised they weren't right then. She wanted to strangle her. Her hatred towards her then reached a level far beyond her long-since-enflamed hatred towards First District long ago. This was the about the person more important to her than anything or anyone else and she destroyed it! She destroyed _them_! A string of curses wanted to fly from her mouth and land harshly onto the woman lazily sitting on the desk when Hiroshi knocked on the door frame. When they looked up, Hiroshi indicated Natsuki come to him. Roughly and without a word, she turned and went out the door following him.

"Ok, so, what the hell happened in there?" He asked softly.

"She came onto me and wouldn't let me go!" She shouted, swinging her forefinger to the door she just exited. "She tried to get me to have sex with her by bribing me with a 'good word' to Mr. Wamasaki! I tried to get her off me but she wouldn't listen! That woman is a lot stronger than she looks by the way, and-"

Hiroshi, waving his hands, stopped her. "Okay okay! I knew you weren't like that anyway. You're too much of a hard ass." Natsuki was about to shout at him again when Hiroshi, knowing that she would, shouted over her. "Which is what I told 'wifey'."

Natsuki, apprehensive, looked at him strangely. "What?"

Hiroshi sighed. "I grabbed her and told her that you wouldn't do that. That you weren't that kind of person and that I knew you would never cheat on her 'cause you told me so and I knew you well enough that you wouldn't anyway. And that you're head over heels for her." Hiroshi looked expectantly at her as if asking 'got it?'

Natsuki softened a little. She looked down somewhat sheepishly, feeling bad for yelling at him before. Fidgeting on her feet, she glanced up at him. "What did she say?" For a moment, she felt like she was back in high school, even though her high school life was generally nothing like this.

Hiroshi shrugged. "Nothin'. But I think she understood. But that's why I also told her about you thinking she was having an affair."

Yet again, Natsuki felt her heart stop in fear. Oh god, she never wanted her to know! "You told her! Why?"

"Because then at least she'll know why you acted that way and at the same time, whether her having an affair is true or not, she'll think it over and will _have_ to tell you what's happening now!"

Although she could see his logic behind that, that didn't make her any less tense. Still fidgeting from her anxiousness, she ground her work-booted toe into the hard concrete. "Did she say anything then?"

Hiroshi shrugged again. "Well, she did seem a bit surprised and confused, but she still didn't say anything."

"So she basically left without a word?"

"Well, she thanked me, but yeah, nothin' else."

Natsuki, entirely clueless as to what to do, ran her hand over her face in trepidation. "Great. So, what should I do now?"

Although that question was meant more for herself than Hiroshi, the boy answered, "well, I'd give her some time. Get home. See if she's there and if she is, talk to her, if she isn't, go to the place you were going to meet her."

Natsuki thought it over for a long time, not sure if she could go through with it. Could she face her after all this? Finally, not finding any choice, she complied. "Okay." She cocked a brow at herself. "I can't believe I'm actually listening to you."

"Hey hey, you should thank me you know. At least she knows what's going on now." He backed with a wave of his finger in her face.

Natsuki crinkled her nose and pushed his hand away. "Yeah yeah, I know. I owe you a beer."

"Damn straight!" He grinned excitedly back.

"Nice pun."

"Thank you."

* * *

Thankfully, Hiroshi said he'd take care of the mess with Mrs. Wamasaki (at least for the rest of the day) so Natsuki left early to get home. (How he was going to do that she had no idea, but she cared too little to really ask before she left.)

She wasn't too surprised when she came home with only Duran to meet her. Though she was still nervous about what was to happen, she greeted Duran the way she always did when she got home and made her way to the couch. She released a sigh as she flopped onto it and remained motionless for a few minutes. A part of her was happy that Shizuru wasn't home, because she would have no idea what to say and would probably dig herself into a deeper hole.

'How am I even going to know if she's gonna show up?' She wondered to herself, her eyes staring at the ceiling. Then, it hit her. On the note Shizuru had written to her that morning, she recognized the restaurant as one they had been to before on Natsuki's birthday perhaps two years ago. It was very classy and would obviously be a restaurant that would require reservations. She grabbed her phone, called the operator, and asked to be transferred to the restaurant.

Her heart started to pound again as she heard the dial tone. If she cancelled the reservations, it definitely meant her ass was grass and Shizuru wasn't going to see her. Deep down, she knew Shizuru was far too regal and strong a person to not go through with something. Finally, the hostess picked up and greeted her.

"Yeah, I'm calling to see if tonight's reservation for Fujino had been cancelled?" She asked politely. Thanks to listening to Shizuru's business conversations so much, her verbal rhetoric had become a bit more sophisticated than when she was younger. Of course, this wasn't the best performance of eloquence, but it was a start.

"Well, let's see…" There was a pause. "No, it hasn't been cancelled. Would you like to cancel it?"

Natsuki pondered it only a few seconds out of defeat toward the whole situation, but decided to stay strong. "No, keep it."

"Very well. Will there be anything else?" The hostess asked sweetly.

"No, thanks." At the hostess's departing word, she hung up. Her phone still in hand, she dropped her fist onto her shoulder, still thoughtful. Could she do this? She wondered. Yes, she had to for Shizuru. Looking at her phone again, she noticed that the reservation time was only in a few hours. Her phone fell back onto her shoulder, her eyes falling blindly onto the coffee table in front of her. 'What have I got to lose?' She thought solemnly. She released a sigh and headed upstairs to decide what outfit to wear and take a shower…

She chose her best outfit, one she knew Shizuru liked. She didn't wear it often, only when she knew she had to be dressed up and for Shizuru's pleasure. The shirt, ruffled and loose at the cuffs, was black and was a light material, having several thin layers so it wouldn't be see-through. She buttoned the single button right below her breasts, leaving a plunging neck-line and her bellybutton visible. It was enticing but classy at the same time. Her pants were stretched, flared black leather, so they weren't too difficult to move in and the stretch marks made them look very stylish. Finally, for extra measure, she wore an inch-and-a-half-heeled black leather boots. She gave up on walking on regular heels long ago – she found that heeled boots were much easier to walk in as you didn't have to worry about the sole of your foot sliding around so much. The heels on these boots weren't extremely thin either, which made it all the more easy for balance. Like her hidden interest in pink dresses and stuffed animals, she also had a curiosity toward heeled boots such as the ones she currently had on.

Though she knew this was Shizuru's favorite outfit, her bitter side wondered why she put it on despite everything Shizuru put her through. (At least that's how she felt now.) Granted, she had cooled down a bit since leaving the shop; but the fact that she was still frustrated and confused and worried about everything made her bitter towards her still. Also the fact that she didn't say anything besides 'thank you' to Hiroshi made her angry, but her more sympathetic side tells her that perhaps she just didn't know what to say then. Whatever it may be, she sprayed her favorite perfume on her neck and wrists, grabbed her helmet, kissed Duran goodbye - knowing the woman next door would take care of him in her absence - and fired up her motorcycle.

* * *

She arrived at the restaurant right on time. It was a beautifully-decorated traditional Japanese restaurant with several levels, located right in the middle of Kyoto. It was the sort of restaurant that she knew only people with Shizuru's opulence could afford. It made her uncomfortable for her to come to places like these, let alone Shizuru spending so much money on her. But, when it was the business-woman's decision, she just went with the flow and tried to be as polite as possible. She handed her keys to the valet boy, who looked at both her and her motorcycle with envious bug-eyes. She rolled her eyes, hoping he wouldn't wreck it, otherwise she'd wreck him.

She walked up to the hostess and gave the name. Happily, the hostess had a very polite waitress show her to her seat. She became very curious when the waitress took her to a closed room on the third floor (the fourth floor typically reserved for business dinners – the higher the floor, the more prestigious the parties).

"Here you are: a room for two, as requested." She smiled, sliding the large rich mahogany door open. Natsuki's eyes widened in awe.

It was a more-than-decent sized table for two in front of a large open window, which looked out over the mountains and moving life of Kyoto. The sun was beginning to set and the view was stunning both over and beneath the trees, where people could be seen going about their way along the streets. The inside was beautiful: the room was entirely a rich dark wood and the floor had a ornate Japanese rug atop it. Here, the table was of eastern custom and not Japanese, with chairs on either side of the table. Atop the table a white linen cloth was draped and crystal-mounted elegant-white candles were lit by the waitress as Natsuki took her seat to the right. It felt as though the candles, apart from the warm orange-colored rays of the low, were the only source of light in the room at the moment.

The only thing that dampened her mood was the fact that Shizuru was nowhere to be found. Despite this, she decided to wait and hope, keeping her phone close to her.

"Will there be anything else?" The waitress asked amiably.

Natsuki, her elbows propped on the table (unfortunately, table manners never really became a habit of hers) and hands clasped in front of her, answered, "no, thank you. But, if a 'Shizuru Fujino' comes in, could you direct her up?"

The waitress bowed, "certainly" and left.

When she heard the door close, she sighed again. What if she doesn't come? She tried not to think of it, of what would happen, of how she must have hurt her, of how angry she herself was, of what Shizuru was thinking, what she was doing, and instead tried to focus her attention to all that was occurring outside.

It sometimes amazed her how much their relationship had evolved since they first met. Not to mention, how the both of them had each evolved individually. Though Shizuru hadn't changed nearly as much as she herself had, she still felt like Shizuru had grown to become a great deal more open than she once was. Until now, that is. Natsuki quirked a brow curtly at that thought.

Shizuru had always been her good friend and perhaps made the greatest impression on her. And, it's strange to think that that impression came through constant pestering. It really was something, how she had become first an unknown to her, then simply another person, then an annoyance, then a friend, then a dear friend, then, for perhaps a couple days in her rampant thoughts and concerns, almost an enemy, then someone who cared deeply for her and became simply her best friend, then, eventually, her girlfriend, then lover, then wife. Of course in Japan they weren't recognized as that, but they didn't really care at the moment. Just the rings alone were enough to feel like they were bonded in the tightest way.

Natsuki watched as the sun finally set beneath the trees, the horizon having a warm peach hue beneath a thick, dome-like plane of soft blue. The lights of streetlights, cars and buildings became brighter and brighter in the growing darkness. The candlelight maintained a cozy air within the quiet room.

She looked at her watch and found that over fifteen minutes had passed. The waitress had come in several times during this period, asking if she needed anything. The most she ordered was tea and something to tide over her stomach, which wasn't very demanding at the moment. She constantly checked her phone to see if she missed anything - if her phone had perhaps suddenly rang without notifying her or if she was too busy thinking to hear anything, both of which were highly unlikely.

Fifteen more minutes passed and she felt her heart sink. She ran a hand through her hair as she considered letting it go and leaving. She was tired of torturing herself in this place, being hopeful for something which may never be repaired. She sighed as she finally placed her napkin on the table and got up. She reached for the handle and jumped when she heard the door crack as it slid on its own. She jumped back, pulling her hand to herself as if an automatic reflex of self-protection, and stood, surprised as her eyes magnetized to equally surprised wine-red eyes staring back at her.

Shizuru stood there, slowly softening as she gazed back into emerald eyes which seemed to express a mixture of anxiousness and a hint of relief. Not realizing she had caught her breath, she exhaled silently. "I'm very sorry for my tardiness. Please, sit down." She requested softly as she stepped in and closed the door behind her.

Natsuki, now more frustrated at Shizuru for her simple yet stately apology, slowly and silently trudged back to her seat. "What took you?" Her voice was low and gruff with clear agitation. Apart of her was also afraid, however, but she wouldn't let that show now. But what she was afraid of _was_ the stately apology, never even addressing her name. She knew well enough now that that meant that the older woman didn't see any reason to be playful now (which was rare for her in the instance of Natsuki).

"She was reluctant to me to leave early today." Shizuru answered in the same simple (though now explanatory) tone as she seated herself.

Natsuki quirked a brow, her face starting to contort in anger and hurt. "_She_?" She felt her fingers irately pull at the edges of her napkin upon her lap.

Shizuru pulled herself to the table and clasped her hands lightly on her lap. "My professor."

Natsuki, now completely spun in a loop, looked at her dubiously. "P… professor?" She couldn't make any sense of this, what was Shizuru doing with a professor? She looked at her entirely befuddled as Shizuru smiled a small smile at her, as though slightly amused. This look wasn't like Shizuru's other unreadable, happy look. This was a face that Natsuki had never seen before. It wasn't hurt nor was it forgiveness. At least not entirely: there _was_ a look of understanding about her, but she also seemed a bit… disappointed. If this were the case, Natsuki already felt like sinking into the floor as she had never received a look of disappointment from the girl in front of her. Never.

"This past month, I've been attending a condensed teaching course. It's an evening course so I am to go from the office to the course site within Kyoto University."Shizuru's gaze dropped from Natsuki's as she fiddled lightly with her fingernails, something she usually did when she began to feel sheepish. "I realize now that it would have been best for me to have told you from the beginning, but I didn't want you to think that I was overworking myself. This was something I had been thinking about doing for a long while." She looked up and caught Natsuki's softening gaze. She could see that she was still quite confused, and she didn't particularly blame her since she had never mentioned her interest in teaching before. "I'm nearly done with the course, so I wanted to surprise you." She finished softly, and waited for Natsuki's response.

Of course, now, said girl was left without words. She felt like a fool. However, Shizuru's explanation didn't clear her entirely of her worries. "So, when you get home from your class, you catch up on your business work at night?" She felt afraid to ask that, since now the answer is obvious, although previously she had assumed her working late had been from _other_ causes.

Shizuru just nodded. "And sometimes coursework, yes." Her answer was almost as soft as a whisper, identical to what her eyes portrayed now as they gazed upon the younger girl.

In the period of Natsuki's gathering of thoughts, Shizuru finally asked the question Natsuki knew had been burning inside of her. "What made you think I was having an affair, Natsuki? What made you think I would ever defile my fidelity to you?" The emotion-worn look in Shizuru's eyes made her want to wish this entire situation could be dropped and to pretend it didn't happen. But, her eyes told her that, like Natsuki ten minutes ago, she only needed an explanation and all may hopefully be forgiven.

Natsuki looked down, trying to find words as she now lightly fiddled with her napkin. She opened her mouth, then closed it again. She opened it once more, "I… I dunno, I mean… the way that you talked about not wanting to wear business clothes to whoever you were talking to yesterday… and I…" Here she was afraid to say it out of guilt, but she forced herself, "I read a text message someone sent to your phone last night, saying that 'last night and tonight was fun' and 'we should do it again' and you not returning home till very late in the night and I… I became afraid and…" she looked up sheepishly "maybe I jumped to conclusions.." she blushed.

At that, Shizuru seemed to smile a small, real smile as she straightened herself slowly in her chair. Now she understood. She tried not to chuckle to herself at the other girl's misconceptions of what went on, feeling a bit guilty herself for putting her through this.

"That text was from a classmate whom I work with and likes my strategies. She's a sweet girl who struggles often, and so I help her. She didn't have as much experience with students as I did." She carried on, still wearing her smile. "That phone call was from my professor who was chiding me for my tardiness a few days last week; I was trying to explain to her that I wanted to change into something less formal for class. Because this class is so small, she contacts us specifically by phone. And I do believe I explained my reasons for working late." She smirked.

Natsuki was, once again, left speechless, now feeling like an utter fool. "Oh." She wanted to let her head fall. To let herself disappear from the woman's view for a while as she couldn't even bring herself to look at her. "But… But, what about your red bra you wore last night? It was torn – none of your bras are ever torn."

Shizuru, helping herself to Natsuki's tea, grinned. "That was your doing." Her eye sparkled.

Natsuki hesitated. "… It was?" A blush grew on her face.

"Oh yes. You were rather ravenous and impatient that night." She winked. "I didn't want to throw it out – it's a very nice memento." And the grin spread wider.

Natsuki, now flushing quite red, desperately wanted to change the subject. "What… what made you want to go into teaching?" She speedily poured herself a cup of tea for her drying throat and heated face.

Shizuru seemed to ponder for a bit as she looked off to the view. It was then that Natsuki noticed her hair made beautifully half-up in a thin, diamond hairclip. Diamond earrings gleamed in her ears from the candlelight and her black soft-cotton form-fitting blouse opened in a v-neck. If she knew her well enough now, she knew that that came accompanied with light brown pants which she always thought fit Shizuru's legs amazingly. "Well, I realized how much I missed being in a school, watching over students and guiding them. I want to see how good I could be if I could perhaps be so skillful as teach them now. That, and you teaching yourself how to play the guitar made me want to try something new of my own, something I knew I wanted to do. As I look back on it now, I rather miss being a part of the student council, but I feel that being with the students in this way would make it much more rewarding to me." She turned back to Natsuki, who originally looked at her in wonderment and now didn't seem all that surprised by this.

Natsuki smiled charmingly (something she always did absently). "I'd like to see you give it a try. I'm sure you'll do very well. What do you think you will teach?" She asked, very curious now.

The blue-haired girl could see the flash of passion in her eyes towards her new goal as she began to collect her ideas. Her hands clasped together and a small smile could be seen playing on her lips as she looked off into nothingness again thoughtfully. Her excitement almost mirrored onto Natsuki for her, like a ripple effect onto her. "I'm not certain yet. Perhaps linguistics, or piano… or literature, or business… But, whatever it may be, I do enjoy the idea of having a pupil for any of the like."

Natsuki smiled, and then recalled her current job. "What will happen to the industry when you do try this out?"

"To be honest, I'm not entirely sure yet. But I will come up with something." Shizuru stated positively. Her smile grew, and so did Natsuki's. The younger girl hadn't seen her smile like that in so long and it felt like a sight for sore eyes.

However, the younger girl's smile soon began to fade as her mind seemed to force her to recall what happened earlier that day, the period of time when Shizuru had not looked so happy. She didn't want to bring it up, especially not now when the business-woman looked so happy, but she knew that she had to at some point to explain herself. Natsuki looked down solemnly. "Shizuru, what happened today…" She breathed, watching the older girl's own smile begin to fall as if she knew what was to come. "I swear nothing happened."

"I know." Shizuru nodded as she responded seriously.

Natsuki looked at her, feeling guilt-ridden already. "You do?"

"Of course." Red eyes then cast themselves down. "At first I was indeed surprised, and your outburst was quite hurtful to me at the time, only because I had no idea why you would say such a thing." Here, Natsuki wanted to cross the table and take her in her arms and tell her a thousand times how sorry she was and what an idiot she had been for hurting her like that. But, she forced herself to stay in her seat as Shizuru continued, "But, thanks to that boy telling me what it was you were thinking, I began to connect events together and understood. And, a part of me knew that you didn't mean for any of that to happen." There was a sharpness to Shizuru that made her deduction of thoughts nothing too surprising when Natsuki thought about it. Shizuru always seemed to have a keen sense of what was really going on when she found the pieces to connect.

"She came on to me Shizuru, I tried to tell her that I was married but she wouldn't get off…" Natsuki tried to break in, tried to explain herself further, but Shizuru stopped her with a wave of her hand, which then landed on Natsuki's own.

"You don't have to explain. I know you wouldn't do that. You are perhaps the most loyal person I know, and I trust you." She smiled softly.

Natsuki felt tears begin to gather in her eyes again. She felt like a grade A asshole for not trusting Shizuru when she trusted her so much. "Shizuru, I'm so sorry." Natsuki took her hand and brought it to her lips, kissing each knuckle. Her hair tickled the sides of the older woman's soft hand. She kept whispering her apologies again and again feeling as though none would suffice.

"It's okay, Natsuki." Shizuru, in turn, brought Natsuki's hand close and kissed her palm and fingers. "It was no fault of yours. I'm sure I would have done the same if I had been in your place."

"I want to make it up to you." Natsuki declared as if not having heard her, with the same old defiant look in her eye.

Shizuru smiled brightly at Natsuki's firmness with her now. "There is no reason for you to do so; I've forgiven you Natsuki, and I hope you will me." Her crimson eyes bore into Natsuki's genuinely as her thumb caressed the back of the hand she still held.

Natsuki smiled a similarly bright smile. "Of course I do." Her eyes seemed to shine in a way that made Shizuru's heart patter, not having seen something like that from Natsuki in so long. What a torturous month it had been without her.

"Good." Shizuru beamed. "Then, why don't we head home? We can sit by the fire and you can show me how much you've progressed on your guitar."

Natsuki then blushed lightly, uncertainly. "I-I doubt I've gotten much better." She looked away sheepishly.

Shizuru tilted her head cutely, giving her a playfully skeptical look. "Well, there's only one way to find out, is there not?" She dug into her purse and pulled out a wad of cash, placing it on the table. "Let's go." In her usual gracefully gentle way, she pulled Natsuki up from her seat, leading toward the door.

"Y-you um, look very pretty tonight, by the way." Natsuki stuttered bashfully, her eyes drifting over and around the small of Shizuru's back.

Shizuru fixed her with another cute look. "Why Natsuki, you act as though you've not seen me like this before."

Natsuki's face took on an almost childlike expression, something else which also made the older woman's heart beat faster. "I haven't. At least not for a while."

Shizuru's smile slowly turned sympathetic. She could tell just then just how much her blue-haired beauty missed her. She then felt the beauty must know that those feelings were not one-sided as she felt exactly the same way. Still holding her hand, Shizuru suddenly pulled the younger girl to her, wrapped her arms around her waist and took her lips with her own.

Natsuki, surprised, had stiffened in her arms but slowly relaxed as she wrapped her arms around her neck and gently pressed herself into the kiss. Though it was chaste, it held a tender passion to it which seemed to satisfy the both of them. Besides, both knew that if one were to venture further, the likeliness of them getting carried away would become very high and being walked in on would leave both of them in a very compromising situation (for Shizuru especially as a known CEO).

As they pulled away, Shizuru swept over the creases and curves of Natsuki's shirt and pants. She smiled. "I must say, you look quite pretty tonight as well." She whispered, although she felt like the word 'pretty' was an understatement. The contrast of blue against black looked stunning and made her green eyes shine.

Natsuki blushed and smiled bashfully again, her eyes flicking downward to her boots. "I knew you liked this outfit on me…" She explained.

"I like anything you wear, Natsuki – and anything you don't." She winked playfully, eliciting just the blush she wanted from the other girl – light and cute. "I did also like that outfit you wore on the night of my birthday." She added, keeping her grin composed masterfully.

Natsuki now flushed red out of embarrassment at the memory. "You said you'd never mention that again." A night of role-play was something they had only done once and Natsuki preferred to not do it again, as the suggestions Shizuru would make would make would be enough to make her choke.

Shizuru mocked guilt. "Forgive me, that promise must have escaped my memory." Natsuki could see the small smile she had tried to hide. It was always towards Natsuki that her mask would occasionally slip.

Natsuki rolled her eyes skeptically as she turned the older woman around and pushed her out the door, herself following close behind. "Sure it did."

* * *

Because Shizuru had taken a cab to the restaurant, she and Natsuki rode home on the younger girl's bike. Natsuki always kept a second helmet on her bike just in case, so Shizuru, with her helmet on, held onto Natsuki's waist just as closely as her helmet snug to her head. Now the lights from the cars, streetlights and buildings were the only things illuminating the streets as they swept into the traffic. It had been a very long time since Shizuru and Natsuki rode on her bike together - perhaps half a year or maybe even more. She felt Shizuru lay her head on her back. Natsuki, feeling as happy as ever, decided to prolong it and took the long way home through the city. Sure, it was perhaps a bit slower what with traffic and traffic lights, but she didn't mind. Every time she stopped at a light she felt Shizuru adjust her hold on Natsuki, each time being just as warm and tight as the others.

Finally, they reached their garage and Natsuki released the brake and switched off the ignition. Natsuki shook her hair as she always did after taking off her helmet before turning to Shizuru, who had already done the same. However, after laying the helmet down, Shizuru's arms wrapped themselves back around Natsuki's waist.

The way that Shizuru moved her hands around her waist, Natsuki could tell the younger girl didn't want to step off just yet. She placed her helmet on the shelf next to her. She was happy that she adjusted the bike's chassis so that it sank down lower on her weight, making it easy for her feet to stay evenly and comfortably on the ground. Now, with the addition of Shizuru's weight, it sank even further, almost bringing the pads of her feet fully onto the ground.

As Shizuru held her silently, Natsuki mused over the past month, and was rather surprised at how well Shizuru had disciplined herself to continue working as hard as she did between the classes and working at the industry. Actually, she felt a greater sense of pride for her than surprise. She knew she had always been a person devoted to getting things done, but, because she pursued this on her own knowing how strenuous it would be on her, it felt different. She felt like she deserved something for her efforts. She turned to Shizuru, who had placed her head back on her shoulder.

"Shizuru?"

The only thing Shizuru seemed to do in response is move her hands, caressing her sides. There was something about the way those hands moved that made Natsuki freeze. "Natsuki, take me on your motorcycle." Her request came softly, her hands still roaming over her abdomen.

Natsuki blinked, "I just did." It came more as a question, as though she was second-guessing them having taken the long way back home.

Shizuru giggled lightly. "No, I mean…" – Her hands then roamed hotly down her thighs – "_take me_…" – they slid up her sides, her fingertips pressing lightly into the sides of her breasts – "on your motorcycle."

The huskiness placed in the woman's Kyoto accent, let alone the request itself, was enough to make the younger girl stiffen severely. Natsuki couldn't find her voice for a few seconds before asking, "w-what?"

Shizuru's talented hands restarted their route, leaving the blue-haired girl without breath. "It makes me blush to even ask this, as it had been a fantasy of mine for a very long time and…" Natsuki could hear Shizuru's breath catch as well as the body behind her pressed itself harder into her back. "It's been so long since I've touched you and been touched by you. I want you now, even in the most ravenous way. I know this may seem crude but, I…" Natsuki then felt her mouth press into her neck, her hands stroking the inside of her thighs. The heat of her mouth against the slight chill of the evening air made her skin ripple. Her vision began to cloud and leaned her head to one side, feeling Shizuru's lips and tongue move up to her ear. The hands glided back up and cupped her breasts, making the younger girl release a groan. "Natsuki…" Teeth nibbled on her ear and palms pressed into her breasts. Natsuki rolled her head back onto Shizuru's shoulder as she unconsciously leaned back further into her warm embrace.

The part of her that wanted to tell Shizuru to stop was not at all effective on Natsuki's being. Her body, having been deprived from Shizuru's touch for so long, begged her to keep going. She tried to remind herself that this was her bike. How the hell could make love on a bike? Of course, the part of her that wanted to make absolutely no movement to stop told her that, if done right, she could do it and place an equally effective response to herself as well. Another part of her was curious as to how she could do it. Of course, at the moment, the question of _Natsuki_ doing it was unnecessary as Shizuru seemed to be the one leading and quite masterfully at that.

Shizuru then assumed balancing the bike as she ran her hands back down Natsuki's trembling torso, unbuttoning the single button as she went down to her thighs then stroking her way back up, one hand gliding over the apex of her parted legs while the other continued up to give attention to her left breast. With one hand, she skillfully undid the front clasp of her black lace bra and pressed her hand into the flesh of her breast. The cool air made the girl's nipple poke into the palm of her hand.

The other hand continued to lightly tease the space between her legs through the tight leather. A low whimper came breathily from Natsuki's throat. At that, Shizuru's pace increased slightly, using the whole length of her fingers as well as adding additional pressure from her fingertips. She could feel the smaller woman's body rocking gently in sync with her rhythm. She twisted her nipple between her thumb and middle finger as she continued.

Natsuki grabbed the support bar at Shizuru's seat, leaning herself on it so she wouldn't fall totally back as her back arched and a sharp, short moan erupted from her panting chest. Shizuru held her tighter, making sure she didn't lose balance. Her lips moved to the nape of her neck, eliciting a small groan from the other girl. Of course, these ministrations weren't enough to bring the younger girl over the edge, but it was certainly enough to keep her hanging for more.

Shizuru, pushing the girl back upright with her shoulders, maneuvered her to try and stand up as she undid her pants from behind. Pulling them down as much as would be allowed (which wasn't much further than the upper part of her thighs, though that was enough), she, standing up, held the bike between her legs and brought her lips up to Natsuki's ear. Shizuru could hear her trembling breath though her slacked mouth. She exhaled her hot breath over Natsuki's earlobe before taking it between her lips again.

"Shizuru, this…" She wasn't allowed to finish as a gasp overcame her words to the touch of Shizuru's hand caressing her naked length from behind her. A shuddered moan escaped her lips as Shizuru's dainty middle finger stroked her length, her forefinger soon joining it. Natsuki, her knees nearly buckling, forced herself to lean forward and grab her handlebars for support. Luckily the released brake kept it from going anywhere.

Shizuru looked down at her stiffening yet weakening high school love and flustered even more than she already had. Here she was bending her once-called lover over her own bike, about to take her. They had been in positions similar to this before, over tables and countertops, but not in such a manner as this. Her fingers continued to lightly stroke her moistened depths, just touching her most sensitive bundle of nerves. Natsuki inhaled, her eyes just barely closing, like they have been ever since Shizuru started touching her. She felt Shizuru lean over her and slip an arm around her waist, helping to keep her stable as she adjusted her fingers. Just when Natsuki thought the ministrations were going to continue as they were, she gasped loudly and released a droned feminine moan as she felt the two fingers slide back and enter her.

"Ohh, Natsuki…" Shizuru droned breathily at the feeling of Natsuki's hot, already constricting walls around her fingers. She pressed her fingers against her front wall as she began to stroke her, her slickness providing easy penetration so as not to hurt her. She tried to go in as deep as she could as she slowly increased her speed. The parting of her legs between the bike gave power to the friction Shizuru's experienced fingers delivered. She felt and saw Natsuki trying to match the rhythm, her deep sapphire hair slowly sliding over her shoulders with every thrust. Whether she was doing it unconsciously or consciously she wasn't sure, but her throaty groans made Shizuru's own legs weaken. Under the garage light, she could see sweat just starting to glisten on the skin of her lower back beneath her shirt.

Natsuki couldn't hold back her low, inconsistent moans strangling between her clinched teeth as she continued to feel Shizuru stroke her with increasing vigor. Every time she knew Shizuru felt her tighten around her, the older woman would slip in and out faster until the wave subsided; each time this happened a high, feminine moan forced itself from her active lungs, making her hiss between her teeth as she inhaled.

Her body wouldn't stop shaking; her palms began to sweat around the rubber handles and found it increasingly difficult to keep herself from slipping, much less keep her wits about her long enough to keep herself from collapsing onto her bike altogether. She felt Shizuru's piano fingers press harder against her front wall and push deeper inside her. She released a short, gruff cry strangling from her throat, her head throwing back and her hands gripping the handles tighter. She felt her walls tighten and her muscles begin to stiffen as she felt something take over, something feral.

Suddenly, she pulled herself from Shizuru's hold around her waist and turned around on the bike. Shizuru just watched her, not moving, surprised at her sudden movement. Natsuki's cloudy, darkened green eyes stared right back at her as both girls panted and both flushed. Natsuki was still visibly trembling but her expression was defiant despite her hazed senses.

Before Shizuru could utter a word, Natsuki reached for her black blouse and, gripping the buttoned opening with both hands, tore it open, sending the buttons flying in every which direction. They could hear them lightly bounce off Shizuru's car next to them, off the walls and onto the floor. Natsuki often wasn't like this – in fact it was rare as she was usually much more careful and slow – but when she was, Shizuru found it all the more enticing because she would know then that she had taken Natsuki to a level of desire that was insatiable. When she was like this, Natsuki would either start begging for more or would send Shizuru into a frenzy that would leave her screaming. Of course, the only other time she had torn off a piece of clothing was the day that she wore the red lace bra. Many people may not believe that the younger girl could act in such a way, but on one hand she wasn't very surprised when she thought about Natsuki's naturally defiant, strong and sometimes rebellious attitude. Granted, the first time the ocher-haired girl saw her like this, it did leave her a bit surprised, but that didn't necessarily mean she disliked it; especially not after Natsuki brought her to a high that she had never achieved before.

"Natsuki!" Shizuru felt herself grin in breathless excitement as she watched the darkened green eyes bore right into her own heated ones. Natsuki's hands went to Shizuru's waist as she pulled her body to her, capturing her lips hungrily. Shizuru's hand went behind Natsuki's neck, pushing her lips harder against her own, her tongue licking the younger girl's lips until they readily parted. Shizuru released a high, feminine moan as she felt Natsuki's tongue caress her own as it entered her mouth hotly. Her breath caught and shuddered as she felt Natsuki's sweaty hands roam up her naked stomach and up to gently squeeze her breasts. She pressed herself harder into her hands as she threw her arms around the younger girl's neck, her tongue still fighting for seductive dominance.

Blindly, Natsuki quickly pulled out the kickstand with her booted foot for extra support. She then reached down and pulled Shizuru's thighs over her own. The older woman wrapped her legs around the younger girl's waist, pulling her even closer. Natsuki broke from the kiss and began to kiss down her neck. The way she was lavishing her neck, Shizuru knew that she may wake up with a painful mark the next morning. She, of course, didn't mind however as she felt the lips, tongue and teeth nibble their way down to her collarbone. She groaned as she felt Natsuki lick her at the base of her throat and continue downward. The hands moved around to the base of her back as she frantically kissed her down to her right breast, taking her nipple into her mouth. Shizuru threw her hands behind her, her long chestnut hair thrown over her shoulders as she held onto the handle at the end of the bike.

Here, Natsuki was softer, knowing that she was sensitive there. Shizuru brought up one hand and nestled it into Natsuki's soft blue tresses. Her breaths kept catching with every lick and suckle Natsuki's small mouth administered onto her. Her tongue flicked her hardened nub. "N-Natsuki." She breathed, her head falling back in abandon before rolling it forward and pressing her lips to Natsuki's hair. "You… You know what I-mnh!" She bit her lip as she felt Natsuki suck her hard into her mouth for a second. She absently began to grind herself against Natsuki's midsection. "You know what I want you to do. Please…" She threw her head back again as the girl gently bit down. She inhaled sharply. "Oh Natsuki!" She felt the younger girl turn and take herself off the bike, turning Shizuru with her.

The younger girl made her stand and removed her pants and heels. She almost let out a soft cry as Natsuki playfully pulled on the elastic of her lace panties with her teeth before removing them with her hands. Natsuki made it so the older girl would lean her body against the slightly-leaning bike as she placed herself between her legs again, her lips trailing over her stomach. She lavished attention there, making Shizuru gasp with every soft spot Natsuki hit on her abdomen. Her abdominal muscles twitched as she kissed the muscle underneath her breast and underneath her bellybutton, the girl's gifted tongue making small circles over the areas. When it came to this sort of attention, Natsuki was much more sensitive as her muscles were a bit more developed. Shizuru loved to do this to her whenever she got the chance; she was very responsive.

Shizuru felt the small tongue dip into her bellybutton. "Oh," She braced her hands on the seat of the bike as Natsuki lifted her legs over her shoulders, taking a good portion of her weight with the seat acting as an aide. "Natsuki, yes, please…" She felt her breath and lips mingle together as they finally lowered to where she greatly wanted her to be. She seemed to hover there, making Shizuru nearly whimper. She was throbbing and she knew Natsuki must see her pulsate.

"You're…" Natsuki breathed, gazing at her parted lips and knew that even though she hasn't even touched her there, she's already so close to brought over the edge.

"Natsuki please don't me mean to me." Shizuru's plea came out rushed in one quick breath. She looked down at her with shining, desperate eyes.

Natsuki looked up at her, and began to kiss her inner thigh at an agonizing speed, slowly coming closer and closer to her soft flesh. Shizuru inhaled as she gripped the hard cushion of the bike's seat. She breathed her name again just before she finally felt a soft, strong tongue caress her length. She threw her head back and moaned loudly. A few more strong strokes and she found herself almost falling off if Natsuki hadn't risen up and caught her. Shizuru threw her arms around her instinctively. They both looked at each other and chuckled.

Natsuki, after now remembering to remove her own pants, took Shizuru back in her arms and turned her so that she would sit facing the back of the bike. Natsuki climbed back on, centered the bike between her thighs and, once again, lifted Shizuru's thighs above her own. Only this time, she pressed herself between them, making Shizuru's eyes close and her breath catch. Shizuru's hands grasped her sides.

Holding onto the bike's chassis behind Shizuru and her feet planted on the ground, Natsuki began to grind herself against the apex of Shizuru's legs, pulling on the bike for extra thrust. Shizuru's legs wrapped back around her waist as Natsuki continued to grind against her.

Shizuru moaned inconsistently even though they were managing to keep their rhythm. Natsuki brought her hips high enough to feel the hood of her clitoris pressing repeatedly against the older woman's wet lips, making her soft moans match Shizuru's. All three began to rock in time. Shizuru began to whimper as Natsuki pulled harder on the bike, helping her to thrust harder against her. The older woman brought up a hand and teased the younger girl's nipple, spurring another droning moan and arching her back. Natsuki leaned down and took her left nipple into her mouth. Shizuru's breath hitched, feeling overcome as her senses overwhelmed her.

"Shizuru, I…"

She felt the other girl bite her skull. "Natsuki!" Her breath came harder and harder, her legs tightening around her more and more. The younger girl then pushed her down to lie on her bike. Now, she knew Shizuru was going to get more pleasure than herself as she had to keep balance, but she didn't care. It wasn't too painful for Shizuru, she knew, as the rise she gave her on her thighs helped her off the seat and instead press her hips into Natsuki's. The younger girl grabbed the handlebars again and, like with the chassis, pulled back on the bike to help her thrust as her body shook against Shizuru's. She faintly heard the wheels squeak back and forth.

Her hips grinded her up and down, caressing her entire center against her. She tried to ignore the beginnings of cramping in her calves as she felt the streak of wetness from beneath her bellybutton to her pelvic bone. For Shizuru, it felt like her core had become a wild furnace. The taller girl tried in vain to control her rapid breathing, letting her head fall, her hair draping over the dashboard as she released Natsuki's back and grabbed onto whatever pipes she could find. The bike still felt warm within her hands as she felt it move rhythmically with Natsuki's arms on either side of her. She could feel Natsuki's sweat of her chest against her own. The rippling of her muscles was enough to make herself want to press more sensually against the exerting girl above her. Natsuki's lips caressed whatever skin she could along her breastbone. Shizuru's body began to tremble and her hips gyrated wildly. She could tell that the coil within her was beginning to tighten to its maximum resistance. Her moans came low and heavy, steadily increasing in octave until her breath hitched, then exhaled hard then hitched again. A hand flew to the younger girl's name and pushed her harder onto her until her back finally arched and a cry came through her throat, Natsuki's name breathily following.

Shizuru's eyes closed tightly as her head turned to the side, her breaths still sporadic and her muscles tense while Natsuki prolonged her orgasm by continuing her thrusts for a few more seconds till the more athletic girl began to feel the woman beneath her slowly begin to sink onto her bike. She released a heavy sigh around her quick breaths, her grip on the woman above her as well as on the bike slowly loosening.

Natsuki looked down at her and found herself in awe. She never thought she would see her best friend and partner draped across her bike, naked, flushed and gasping for air. The garage light rolled over her slick skin as her chest rose and fell. She slipped an arm around her and slowly pulled her up and into her arms. The heat and perspiration from Shizuru's body left an outline of fog on her gas tank. Shizuru rose and wrapped both her arms around her, nuzzling her hair at her neck. She cooed, much like she did when Natsuki would pull her softly into her arms in their bed after a difficult day.

"You," Shizuru whispered hoarsely into her neck, "You never let me finish taking you." She stated with a hint of regret.

Natsuki smiled. "I told you – I wanted to make it up to you. Also, consider this your reward for working so hard." She kissed the area of her cheek just before her ear.

Shizuru chuckled around her soft sigh. "Oh Natsuki, this surpasses a simple reward. It was an amazing gift." She looked at her, her eyes still a shining, deep wine red through her recovery. "And I hope to experience it again sometime, perhaps with you being a bit more submissive." She winked. Her breath was still heavy, caressing Natsuki's lips. Her light bangs clung to her forehead.

Natsuki gave her an exasperated look. "I don't think I'd have the strength, whether I was submissive or not."

Shizuru giggled. "Was I perhaps too much for you?" The younger girl only let her head fall back as she sighed, releasing her own exhaustion from her efforts. The older woman laughed before clucking her tongue and giving her another hug. "Well then, perhaps we should retire… oh." She stiffened.

Natsuki cocked a brow. "Hm?" She looked in Shizuru's direction, her hand in her hair. Shizuru pulled back and she saw the crimson eyes glance up at her in soft amusement. The eyebrow cocked higher still as the eyes looked behind her. She turned to look over her shoulder and her eyes became saucers, her pupils contracting. She screamed. 'The-The-The garage door!!" In the throes of their passion, Natsuki completely forgot to shut their garage door, perhaps leaving all they had done for others to see. She clamored off her bike and hurriedly pressed the button by their door. Shizuru stepped off the bike leisurely as it closed – she wasn't very concerned as there was nothing across from them besides a row of tall, thick bushes.

Shizuru noticed that Natsuki had stopped breathing. She looked back to her and found her eyes still quite wide, staring onto the concrete below her, her back leaning against the cool wood of the door. The older woman's giggle was almost silent. "I doubt anyone saw, Natsuki. You shouldn't worry."

Natsuki's composure still wouldn't return. 'Oh god. What if someone drove by?? What if someone taped it?? I'll probably walk into work with that pervert Hiroshi telling me he found an online porn video entitled 'Busty Babe Bangs Blue-Haired Broad on Bike'…' Her face turned bright red. She felt herself about to sink when Shizuru caught her.

"Natsuki, come, let's go to bed." She laughed despite herself as Natsuki groaned as she turned. Shizuru grabbed the handle and turned it.

It took a few more minutes for Natsuki to regain her composure with Shizuru's help. The older woman gave her wife a glass of cold water, which Natsuki downed. She pressed the cool glass to her heated face and breathed, trying to clear her mind of her quick conclusions. "You…" She cleared her throat of its hoarseness. "You wanted me to play for you?" She breathed. She could hardly concentrate after her minor heart attack let alone all of their actions in the garage, so she wasn't even sure she could play now, but she figured she might as well ask if she still wanted her to. She was pretty certain she wasn't going to look at her bike the same way again, now that her mind and body had become more collected.

Shizuru turned to her and smiled charmingly with a touch of suggestiveness. "Are you able?"

Natsuki turned to her and shrugged, "Well, how about you go up to bed and I'll meet you there." Shizuru looked at her with the same smile and curious eyes before doing as she suggested, touching her fleetingly on the small of her back and kissing her naked shoulder as she passed.

Shizuru walked up and found Duran lying on their blue comforter. She chuckled as she slipped in, him quickly getting the hint that the bed was about to be fully occupied and hopped off. The cool sheets felt good against her still warm flesh. She relaxed into the sheets and soft cushion. Her thoughts returned to the events just moments ago on the bike and she sighed a schoolgirl sigh. She never thought Natsuki would agree to such a thing, knowing how much of her heart she placed into it. Shizuru smirked. Then again, she didn't really give her much choice, thinking how easily Natsuki had fallen into the depths of physical passion. Shizuru knew then that Natsuki's body must have longed for her touch as much as her own body did. Such a thing had been very long overdue, she felt.

Soon she heard Natsuki follow into the room. She looked at her and found her naked with her guitar in her hand. Shizuru smiled brightly. "Is Natsuki going to serenade me?" The light of the moon through their window on the girl's naked body and reflecting off the polished surface of the guitar and strings made her gaze at her almost awestruck. She looked so beautiful. Her hair falling around her shoulders and her childlike face hinted with speckles of green from her eyes made her look like a beautiful work of art. She could only image how she would look on a poster strumming her guitar wearing sexy clothing. Of course, what was presented before her was the best image she could ever get while naked in their bed.

"Maybe something like that." Natsuki seemed to smile her childlike smile as she slipped in. Shizuru instinctively came towards her and slid her hand over her stomach, laying her body against her. She rested her head deep into her shoulder. Natsuki, knowing she would do that, slipped her arm underneath her and grabbed the neck of her guitar, her other arm resting on her side, her hand lying on the body. She arranged her fingers over the strings and, after having gotten comfortable, began to strum a quiet piece.

Shizuru sighed as she smiled, wrapping her arm tighter around her. Her other arm slipped underneath the shoulder under her head. Her skin was creamy-soft and warm, and the song rang sweetly in her ears, making her eyes become heavy. Her eyes closed as she felt Natsuki kiss her hair at her forehead softly, her strumming never faltering.

"You're too good for me." Shizuru murmured into her collarbone.

Natsuki smiled ingratiatingly. "No, I just love you, that's all."

Shizuru reveled in Natsuki's simple reply.


End file.
